Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow sent a clear message to the front office this past week, imploring them to find a way to keep Tee Higgins.
"You don't want to make a living out of letting great players leave the building," Burrow . "And I think that's why you gotta do everything you can to get those deals done early."
Because Burrow rarely speaks out, this was a quote that no doubt ricocheted through the building. With Cincinnati playing the Steelers tonight with their season on the line, there is a real possibility it is the last game together for Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins. Even if the Bengals win, they'll need losses by the Broncos and Dolphins to get into the playoffs.
Sources say the three have discussed playing together again for years to come. It's their goal, and privately they have made no secret about it.
With Higgins set to be a free agent this offseason (barring another franchise tag), there is uncertainty about if Higgins, Burrow and Chase will all return to run it back in 2025.
While it was assumed Higgins would depart in free agency, the goal is now to stay together, which explains some of the quotes that have come out of the building recently. Chase has one year left on his rookie contract in 2025, and the team and Chase attempted to do a long-term deal for him to stay in Cincinnati prior to the season.
For Higgins, his offseason last year included a trade request and eventually a franchise tag. The two sides never gained traction on a long-term deal. Thanks in part to Brandon Aiyuk's four-year, $120 million deal with the 49ers right before the season, it's a good time for a player like Higgins to be a free agent. To be sure, Cincy will have to ante up to keep him.
While Chase has solidified his place among the NFL's best receivers, Higgins has more than done his part, five catches away from a career-high heading into Saturday's game, while also delivering in the clutch. His back-to-back catches last week pulled out a massive win over the Broncos to stay alive in the postseason race.
"I grew a love for this city for sure," Higgins recently told reporters, "and I grew a love for this team and these coaches, yeah, I'm not ruling it out."
