Bengals And Vikings Should Trade Away Tee Higgins And Justin Jefferson

This story is for the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings to consider as they strategize how to handle their similarly difficult situations with star receivers Tee Higgins and Justin Jefferson:

Exactly two years ago next week, the Kansas City Chiefs had Tyreek Hill on their roster and it was amazing because, just as he is now, he was dynamic then. He was one of the best players on his team and his chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes was unquestionable. All about the situation felt right because Hill was like part of the family.

Except the moment arrived when the Chiefs had to separate the family's emotions and business. 

Hill wanted to be rewarded for his multiple 1,000-yard seasons in a big way and the Chiefs, struggling to manage the salary cap anchored by a big Mahomes contract, were struggling to keep their best players and stay competitive.

So the Chiefs traded Hill to the Miami Dolphins.

The Trade The Chiefs Had To Make

The Chiefs got Miami's 2022 first-round pick, second-round pick, and fourth-round pick, plus a fourth-round pick and sixth-round pick in 2023. 

The Dolphins got a dynamic player that for two seasons has toyed with being the NFL's MVP and is unquestionably the best player on his new team. So the Dolphins clearly benefited from their investment. 

But the Chiefs, basically forced into the transaction, were neither derailed nor delayed from their ultimate goals.

The Chiefs have won consecutive Super Bowls without Tyreek Hill. 

And with that in mind, we should turn our attention to the Vikings as they deal with Jefferson and the Bengals as they deal with Higgins.

Both teams would be wise to trade their star receivers. 

Because keeping them feels right, and probably would bring a short-term benefit. But that short-term gain will not relieve the long-term pain.

LAS VEGAS - Tee Higgins attends Verizon’s "Run the Playlist Live" at Super Bowl LVIII on February 10. (Photo by Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Verizon)

Tee Higgins Asks To Be Traded

The Bengals have placed a franchise tag on Higgins for 2024, so he is going to count for $21.8 million of their cap when the NFL league year begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. That gives Higgins the second-highest cap value on the team, behind only quarterback Joe Burrow.

But unlike Burrow, Higgins has no future in Cincinnati. The Benglas know this, which is why they haven't made him a contract offer leading up to free agency. He knows this, which is why he's already asked to be traded. And the Bengals would be wise to satisfy the trade request because Higgins is right – there is no path forward for him with the club beyond this coming season.

The Bengals, you see, are in the same situation the Chiefs were two years ago. Worse, actually. 

They have the NFL's highest paid player in Burrow. And they must eventually meet the contract demands of receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who is their true No. 1 receiver and Burrow's favorite target.

That leaves virtually no room to pay Higgins as he wishes beyond this season. And he wishes to be paid like a No. 1 NFL receiver, which would happen if he ever hit the open market.

So the Bengals' choice is keep Higgins for one year on the franchise tag, then lose him next year for nothing in return – because they will much less be able to sign him next year or afford another franchise tag.

Or they can trade him. This year. 

Pats Could Be A Target For Higgins

Trading Higgins before the draft probably won't bring the boon the Hill trade brought the Chiefs. But the Bengals could easily expect a high second-round pick plus other considerations in the exchange. They could then use that pick to reload at the position Higgins is vacating because this draft is full of good receiver prospects.

Don't think so? Check the New England Patriots, who want Calvin Ridley but may not get him away from the Jacksonville Jaguars. You don't believe that a team with tons of cap space wouldn't give up its second-round pick (34th overall) for Tee Higgins?

The move would initially sting in Cincinnati. But it would sting less than not having Higgins after 2024 and getting nothing for the loss in return.

Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is perhaps the best at his position in the NFL but are the Vikings good? (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Justin Jefferson Wants The Bag

The situation is somewhat similar in Minnesota, except it's more clear a trade is necessary.

Jefferson, arguably the best receiver in the NFL, doesn't just want to be the highest-paid player at his position. He wants to, as he said recently during a Sirius XM interview, "break the bank."

And he's all business about the matter because leaving the Vikings doesn't bother him one bit as long as he gets paid.

Hill, by the way, remains the NFL's highest paid receiver at $30 million per season. It's not outrageous to believe Jefferson wants to blow well past that number because last year he turned down an offer that only slightly surpassed the $30 million figure.

So the Vikings were indeed willing to make Jefferson the highest-paid receiver, but he didn't want to be that by anything less than, well, a lot more than they offered.

ESPN underrated Kirk Cousins, just like the rest of the NFL media. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Vikings Situation Is Uncertain

And what's the benefit in keeping Jefferson for the Vikings? They just lost Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons. They've added Sam Darnold as a bridge quarterback and will try to find their future starter in the draft.

So are the Vikings going to pair an uncertain quarterback situation with the league's highest-paid receiver? Why? They're not winning a Super Bowl or even a division title with that dynamic, because we saw how it looked last year when Cousins was out of the lineup. The Vikings finished the season with a 7-10 record.

It makes sense for the Vikings to make sense of this situation. It makes sense to trade Jefferson.

He's not Higgins. Some team thinking itself one great receiver from a championship would definitely give up multiple first-round picks for Jefferson and then pay him.

No, it wouldn't be the Kansas City Chiefs. They wisely understand they can win it all by being on the other end of that kind of trade.