(03-29-2024, 03:25 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote: I'd love to know if the Bengals are already holding firm with intent to keep Tee on the roster or if Duke is actively entertaining offers or even dialing up trade ideas of his own.

I'd take a high 2nd round pick if the offer came in. I think the Bengals are better with Tee's talent than an unknown 2nd rounder, but the notion of "why would we give up Tee and hurt the team" neglects to account for how Tee and his agent might react throughout the season. Tee's talent isn't in question, but will he remain motivated and always be available if unhappy because of not getting a big contract? I wouldn't wait to find out and try to make the best of the situation by acquiring a 2nd round pick

I speculate it is now to Duke's advantage to swing a deal closer to draft day. Maybe trade partners will feel an increased sense of urgency to trade for Tee.

Hope Duke has all options open, that is way to roll. Good post Tecmo it is a gamble with Tee's injuries and we don't know how motivated
he will be playing on the Tag while he wants a big contract he is not going to get here with his poor season he just had.

(03-29-2024, 03:56 PM)J24 Wrote: Just to clear things up. People are acting like we would be merely missing a 1,000 yard receiver when in fact it's more like we would be missing a 1,200 yard to 1,300 yard receiver. Point being Tee is a great player and will be very hard to replaced. Acting like a 1st RD receiver can come in and automatically replace him is a  preposterous statement.

If you believe in trading Tee then you have to be in favor of adding another elite veteran player in the process. Preferably one on the defensive side of ball or offensive Line.

Tee averaged 77.9yards a game in 2021( per 17 game 1,324)and 73.5(per 17 1,249) yards per a game in 2020( he had 2 games were he didn't receive a target due to injury. @ Ravens ten snaps and home against the Browns)

BS. It is a what have you done for me lately league and Tee couldn't even get a 1,000 yards last year because he was banged up 
and had hammy problems which tend to reocurr. If you are betting Tee can be a 1,300 WR for us after what he just did last season
I want to know what you are smoking.

(03-29-2024, 04:03 PM)jj22 Wrote: Injury is one of the key factors with people willing to trade Tee. And trust in the FO drafting Wideouts. And the argument for years that Dalton was a bum because he needed all the talent / weapons. A perfect roster...… We believe Burrow is better than Dalton. 

As far as the elite vet defensive side of the ball.. We are past that in FA. However as KC did, we can rebuild through the draft, extra picks would help that. 

If Tee's been healthy and was able to accumulate all those yards he could have, then maybe even 1 more year out of him would be enough to quiet any willingness for fans to trade him. He hasn't tho, and because of that the 21m is not only a rental that we will never get back or be able, it's  gamble. 

Injury is always a key factor no doubt. So true it is a gamble keeping Tee on the Tag, just as big of one as drafting his replacement.

(03-29-2024, 04:05 PM)jj22 Wrote: And it's a deeep wideout class. That means something. If it wasn't then fans wouldn't believe a replacement could be found, and that would change the narrative.

It means a lot. It is not near as big of a gamble because it is a deep Wideout class. I find it to be a bigger gamble keeping Tee on the
Tag after his poor season last year. Newsflash, we are paying him like 22 mil and he wants to get traded after a season he wasn't even a
top #2 WR...

(03-29-2024, 03:42 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Say NE came at us and said we can't give up a second but we can do a "x player + our third round pick" trade. Does NE have any players that would reasonably fit that criteria where we aren't taking the short end of the stick in the trade?

Barmore. But that’s not happening.

(03-29-2024, 04:47 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Barmore. But that’s not happening.

That was the only guy I could think of as well.

(03-29-2024, 03:31 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: I’m glad you pointed out the 4 receivers picked after 18 that were successful, there were others like nacua, but I get your point.  You didn’t mention JSN, Quinton Johnson, John mingo  or the other 26 wide receivers we mentioned that got drafted last year (total of 33).  

Including rookie tight ends 13 pass catchers got to 500 yards.  So if we remove tight ends as part of the 33 receivers about 33% had good to great production.  The round they were draft is almost irrelevant.  If you want to replace tee with a rookie, you might need to draft 3.

You say 33% as if it's just shooting in a barrel hoping you hit one.
It is (or should be) more calculated and deliberate than that.
Teams don't just randomly pick a guy and hope he pans out.
They evaluate players and pick ones they are highly confident will be(come) a good player.
If it was just pull and pray, we would be saying, for example, take any OT at 18. But we are identifying specific ones because we each have identified someone we think has more success to become something compared to others.

Not every draft pick nor FA has a guarantee to pan out.
It's up to the scouting department, FO, and coaches to identify good players to bring in that will work.

(03-29-2024, 09:29 AM)jason Wrote: I know it's not apples to apples with the Higgins situation, but KC didn't let Hill walk after his  rookie deal... He's only been in Miami for 2 seasons.

Get that and the Bengals will not let Chase walk neither. Both Chase and Tee will both command more than Kelce gets paid to be Mahomes primary target though. Chase quite a bit more and together about $35 million more per season if both are signed. 

Plus Hill was only there for one of Mahomes 3 SB victories and did not sign his huge deal until after the trade. KC has won twice as many without Tyreek than with him and Hill has not sniffed one since leaving, yet anyway.

Love Tee Higgins, heck I'm an ACC guy. Yet think the Bengals should only invest in one of their two great WR's and think we all know who is the better choice. 

(03-29-2024, 03:42 PM)The D.O.Z. Wrote: Say NE came at us and said we can't give up a second but we can do a "x player + our third round pick" trade. Does NE have any players that would reasonably fit that criteria where we aren't taking the short end of the stick in the trade?

I think getting a player in a trade is almost preferred at this point.

A part of the value of trading Tee is freeing up over $20m in cap space to be able to spend that on high quality free agents. Now that the free agent market is pretty thin the value of that $20+ in cap saving provide less value for the 2024 team since there aren't' high end free agents to spend it on. 

(03-29-2024, 09:19 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: I think trying to model your teams after Mahomes/Reid and Brady/Bill B is going to be a tall order.  

The last 3 years we have had positional strength vs most opponents in 2 areas (QB and WR).  If we go into 2024 without Tee, our only position strength, vs most opponents, at this point would be QB.  That still has time to change, but I don’t see that positional strength coming from anywhere else, this year.  I think from a roster construction standpoint, we NEED tee this year and we better hit on some draft picks to set up other areas to become a position strength vs opponents from a week to week standpoint.  

The chiefs, last year, had QB, TE and defense.

I know JB isn’t a slouch, never said he was.  But at this point he (along with every other QB) is a pretty distant second to mahomes.  Even the chiefs went out and got themselves a somewhat proven commodity in marquise brown this year.  What they had last year wasn’t sustainable, hence the move.

When you say positional strength over last 3 years it must be noted that all 3 of those years Tee and Chase were on rookie deals still and the Bengals were able to pay talent to be around them. We are now seeing the Bates and Readers leaving to make room and it will not stop hemorrhaging ever if all 3 are signed. 

Plus 2 of those years Burrow was playing for peanuts too. All that is changing very quickly and paying 3 players over $100 million leaving only $3 million a player for the other 49 players just is not smart in my book. Hill will be next forced to walk for more money because the Bengals can't afford if the 3 break the bank. 

If Tee does not get disgruntled and tries then the Bengals could have one more year window with the 3 to try to win one before Tee walks to the highest bidder with no return. That team could be the steelers, Ravens, or Browns which be haunting.  But if he plays to not get hurt, then it blows up in their face and he still walks for free. 

(03-29-2024, 08:09 PM)Go Cards Wrote: When you say positional strength over last 3 years it must be noted that all 3 of those years Tee and Chase were on rookie deals still and the Bengals were able to pay talent to be around them. We are now seeing the Bates and Readers leaving to make room and it will not stop hemorrhaging ever if all 3 are signed. 

Plus 2 of those years Burrow was playing for peanuts too. All that is changing very quickly and paying 3 players over $100 million leaving only $3 million a player for the other 49 players just is not smart in my book. Hill will be next forced to walk for more money because the Bengals can't afford if the 3 break the bank. 

If Tee does not get disgruntled and tries then the Bengals could have one more year window with the 3 to try to win one before Tee walks to the highest bidder with no return. That team could be the steelers, Ravens, or Browns which be haunting.  But if he plays to not get hurt, then it blows up in their face and he still walks for free. 

I just don't understand people acting like Tee just came off a great season or something, he had one great catch against the Vikings, other
than that it was a disappointing season and even Tee would say so. If he keeps pulling his hammy along with all his other numerous injuries
we won't have him anyways. People acting like he is a sure thing makes me shake my head and I love Tee.

(03-29-2024, 04:45 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Hope Duke has all options open, that is way to roll. Good post Tecmo it is a gamble with Tee's injuries and we don't know how motivated
he will be playing on the Tag while he wants a big contract he is not going to get here with his poor season he just had.


BS. It is a what have you done for me lately league and Tee couldn't even get a 1,000 yards last year because he was banged up 
and had hammy problems which tend to reocurr. If you are betting Tee can be a 1,300 WR for us after what he just did last season
I want to know what you are smoking.


Injury is always a key factor no doubt. So true it is a gamble keeping Tee on the Tag, just as big of one as drafting his replacement.


It means a lot. It is not near as big of a gamble because it is a deep Wideout class. I find it to be a bigger gamble keeping Tee on the
Tag after his poor season last year. Newsflash, we are paying him like 22 mil and he wants to get traded after a season he wasn't even a
top #2 WR...

How's it BS Nate? The guy is just 25 years old and has proven to be a near elite WR. Also there were many problems last year with the offense; most notably Burrows health. It's unfair to put last years struggles all on Tee!

(03-29-2024, 08:56 PM)J24 Wrote: How's it BS Nate? The guy is just 25 years old and has proven to be a near elite WR. Also there were many problems last year with the offense; most notably Burrows health. It's unfair to put last years struggles all on Tee!

Tee Higgins has become the most polarizing player on the bengals.

This thread is from one extreme to the other, but there is a middle ground for sure.

I was in the trade tee camp if you could backfill his spot with a proven vet. Since that ship set sailed, I’m in the keep tee this year as he gives us the best chance to win a Super Bowl in 24. Trading tee for draft picks does not put Into a better situation to win a Super Bowl this year.

(03-29-2024, 08:09 PM)Go Cards Wrote: When you say positional strength over last 3 years it must be noted that all 3 of those years Tee and Chase were on rookie deals still and the Bengals were able to pay talent to be around them. We are now seeing the Bates and Readers leaving to make room and it will not stop hemorrhaging ever if all 3 are signed. 

Plus 2 of those years Burrow was playing for peanuts too. All that is changing very quickly and paying 3 players over $100 million leaving only $3 million a player for the other 49 players just is not smart in my book. Hill will be next forced to walk for more money because the Bengals can't afford if the 3 break the bank. 

If Tee does not get disgruntled and tries then the Bengals could have one more year window with the 3 to try to win one before Tee walks to the highest bidder with no return. That team could be the steelers, Ravens, or Browns which be haunting.  But if he plays to not get hurt, then it blows up in their face and he still walks for free. 

Trading tee and spending extra cap space for 2024 just doesn’t work anymore. That ship set sailed. The only thing you gain, in 2024 is a draft pick. You don’t gain anny sort of positional strength gain for 2024. Ideally tee balls out on the bengals this year and next year you’re able to tag and trade and get a better haul due to a productive season. We really are selling tee at Pennie’s on the dollar after last year, relatively speaking.

I find it interesting that there is a narrative that Tee is injury prone. WRs get injuries all the time. Apparently Tee's injuries
Sure isn't stopping other teams from inquiring about acquiring him in a trade. Wasn't Justin Jefferson out for 4 games last year? Even Jamar Chase missed time 2 seasons
Ago and he missed a couple games last year.
Charlie Jones missed time. The WR position is one of the
Positions that has a high injury possibility. It's a passing league. Tee has a high snap count.
Yet Tee is getting labeled like he is injury prone
If a player in the NFL goes through a season without
Playing hurt or injuries it's luck and good fortune

(03-29-2024, 09:47 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: Trading tee and spending extra cap space for 2024 just doesn’t work anymore.  That ship set sailed.  The only thing you gain, in 2024 is a draft pick.  You don’t gain anny sort of positional strength gain for 2024. Ideally tee balls out on the bengals this year and next year you’re able to tag and trade and get a better haul due to a productive season.  We really are selling tee at Pennie’s on the dollar after last year, relatively speaking.

Seems we shall see. Betting there will be camp cuts worthy of adding for teams with the cap room, yet agree it should have already been done if it was going to happen. Just don't see them tagging him twice as you suggest if he is not signed, it rarely happens. Like I've pointed out he will certainly not be happy the day Chase is signed and he is not inked showing the Bengals hand.  

Plus Tee already had a very average season this year, but still has nice value. If he has another average year in lieu of balling out as you claim is a given, then his trade value will not be as high as now and this year wiill be wasted on him being overpaid. If he does have another average season then he will have had 3 out of 5 seasons not getting to the 1,000 yard plateau. Plus the 2 he did make it there were barely just over a 1,000 with Chase drawing the double coverage for him. 

Only way I see to make him happy is signing him which is not good for the future imo. Yet if they really covet him, then sign him and make him happy. 

(03-29-2024, 10:59 PM)impactplaya Wrote: I find it interesting that there is a narrative that Tee is injury prone. WRs get injuries all the time. Apparently Tee's injuries
Sure isn't stopping other teams from inquiring about acquiring him in a trade. Wasn't Justin Jefferson out for 4 games last year? Even Jamar Chase missed time 2 seasons
Ago and he missed a couple games last year.
Charlie Jones missed time. The WR position is one of the
Positions that has a high injury possibility. It's a passing league. Tee has a high snap count.
Yet Tee is getting labeled like he is injury prone
If a player in the NFL goes through a season without
Playing hurt or injuries it's luck and good fortune

I think it’s because it is seemingly the same injury popping back up. Soft tissue leg injuries? Whereas someone like Joe burrow has more or less been random every time.

He may pull a Cris Jones on us and not play first 2 weeks but Tee played through a separated shoulder he is tough as nails he will want to compete and not just protect himself.

(03-30-2024, 02:11 PM)Bengalfan4life27c Wrote: He may pull a Cris Jones on us and not play first 2 weeks but Tee played through a separated shoulder he is tough as nails he will want to compete and not just protect himself.

He could miss the entire season if he wants to.  He just wont get paid his 21.8 million.  Once the season starts, every week he goes without signing the contract, he loses his pay for that week.  If he sits out longer than 10 weeks, he is not allowed to play that year and would be paid nothing.  It also wouldnt prevent the team from being able to tag him again.


Sitting out would not be beneficial at all for Higgins.  The Brown family is not going to cave into demands with a player sitting out. 

(03-30-2024, 07:18 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: He could miss the entire season if he wants to.  He just wont get paid his 21.8 million.  Once the season starts, every week he goes without signing the contract, he loses his pay for that week.  If he sits out longer than 10 weeks, he is not allowed to play that year and would be paid nothing.  It also wouldnt prevent the team from being able to tag him again.


Sitting out would not be beneficial at all for Higgins.  The Brown family is not going to cave into demands with a player sitting out. 

Hmm, pretty sure that the Le'Veon Bell experiment showed that was not the correct path to take.  If Tee Higgins isn't moved, I fully expect him to sit out of camp, but not miss a single game.

Sitting out the whole preseason just gives Jones / Iosivas more snaps and a chance to win that #2 job the old fashioned way.

(03-30-2024, 08:54 PM)Joelist Wrote: Sitting out the whole preseason just gives Jones / Iosivas more snaps and a chance to win that #2 job the old fashioned way.

I don’t mind Yoshi or Jones being wr3.

If the bengals plan on either of them being wr2? Thats not good at all. In fact, I would say it’s bad.

(03-29-2024, 08:56 PM)J24 Wrote: How's it BS Nate? The guy is just 25 years old and has proven to be a near elite WR. Also there were many problems last year with the offense; most notably Burrows health. It's unfair to put last years struggles all on Tee!

To think Tee is going to be a 1,300 yard Receiver this year is a little out there to me after what he did last season.

Tee isn't the problem on Offense at all, never said that. He just isn't going to be here forever and with him requesting a trade he may 
not even be happy here while on the Tag. I think it is best for all involved to trade Tee and get something for him while freeing up that
Tag money IMO.