If you were in charge or free agency

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

If Hurst wants paid like the TEs in last FA, the Bengals can't afford him anyway. He's good now because he's making $3.5m this year. He wouldn't be good at $8-12m/yr when Burrow is about to sign for probably at least $50m/yr and if they want to sign Higgins he'll be another $25m/yr, and Chase is going to get $35m/yr before the 2024 season starts. Other positions on the Bengals roster are going to have to be filled with lesser salaries considering currently Burrow and Higgins are only a roughly combined $12.2m in cap space this year.

Either going to have to try to sign a new cheap 1-2 year TE in FA, or hope to develop a mid-round pick on a nice cheap contract.