During their playoff runs of the past two seasons, the Bengals have often been said to possess the NFL’s best receiving trio. Ja’Marr Chase leads the unit, but his two top supporting pass-catchers have played significant roles in the team’s success. Their respective futures could be headed in opposite directions, however. 
Tee Higgins has become a highly productive wideout in his own right, spending one year in Cincinnati before Chase’s arrival and two years after it. As a rookie, Higgins totaled 908 yards and six touchdowns on 67 catches. The Bengals’ addition of Chase raised questions about Higgins’ workload to a degree, but the Clemson product has put up nearly identical statlines over the past two seasons with 74 receptions, over 1,000 yards and at least six scores in each campaign.
Higgins, 24, is now eligible for an extension. As a key member of the Bengals’ young core, he figures to be one of the team’s top offseason priorities (though finalizing a mega-deal with quarterback Joe Burrow tops that list). The former second-rounder would be in line for a hefty raise on a new pact given not only his production, but his age and position. The receiver market erupted last offseason, and is likely to continue to do so with the cap ceiling set to increase considerably in the future.
When speaking on the subject of his future, Higgins made his intentions clear. Specifically, he said, “I plan on being in Cincinnati for a while” (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network). He is on the books for the 2023 season, the final year of his rookie contract, but would make for a logical extension candidate to stay in place alongside Burrow and Chase as the foundation of the Bengals’ offense. Things may be much different for the third member of Cincinnati’s WR trio.
Tyler Boyd has been a consistent complimentary piece in the Burrow era, but the presence of Higgins and Chase has had an unsurprising effect on the veteran’s workload. Boyd has seen his target and reception totals drop in each of the past three seasons. His 762 yards this past campaign was his fewest since 2017, and he figures to continue taking on a smaller role in the team’s passing attack.
Knowing that, the 28-year-old is aware of his status as a cut candidate. Boyd is under contract for one more year at a cap hit of $10.3MM, but with no guaranteed money left on his pact, the Bengals would see just under $9MM in savings via a release. He recently acknowledged the possibility of his Bengals tenure coming to an end, albeit with an optimistic tone.
“We’ll see what they want to do with me, but I know I’m still entitled for a year,” Boyd said, via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “I’m not counting my chances of not being here out. You never know.”
The Bengals are currently in better shape than most teams in terms of cap space, but several extensions with recent draftees need to be budgeted for. Whether or not their highly-acclaimed receiving trio remains intact for one more year will be worth watching as the offseason takes shape.
Trade him for a 1st rounder like last year’s crop of available WR’s. Build the OL & D even more.
there is no way they would sniff a 1st rounder in return
He’d at least sniff a late first rounder. He’s younger and more durable than AJ Brown was going into his trade. He’d be the easy number one receiver on about 8 teams and a very high level number two on a bunch more. And for all the receiving talent coming into the league, it’s still pretty hard to find a good one with his kind of size. He’s put up 70+ receptions a year as the number two option and excelled when he’s had to be the focal point, and he’ll play next season at 24. You think the Giants wouldn’t think about trading #25 for him?
Of course, Cincy would immediately need to reinvest in pass catchers.
I have to disagree. I am a huge Boyd fan and I think that, as far as secondary or tertiary wideouts go, he is probably the most underrated option in the league. That said, I cannot see a first for him materializing. A second would be high cause compensation as well. Boyd is not old, but he is not young, either. He also has been trending downward as opposed to trending upward-most of that is due to his usage, but he had more inconsistency than he normally does this year. Again, that is probably due to his usage reduction, and being less in a rhythm due to it, but Boyd had a handful of notable drops that are not reflective of his usual character.
He is still, as I said, possibly the most underrated wide receiver in the league by his usage, because he can play inside and outside and is usually a reliable pass catcher with a big frame. He is not a burner, however, and is not getting younger. I think to fetch that first, Boyd would have to be having a resurgent year that could make him a number one receiver for a contender that needs one. I can’t quite see that happening, though Boyd would figure obviously be a great two or really great three going into a new team’s offseason.
Cincy should endeavor to keep him, but him staying with Bengals would have to come down to his taking a lower rate deal and the Bengals being willing to spend slightly more than they would on a rookie replacement.
Boyd or Higgins? Maybe a 4th for Boyd
Oh, I guess I never specified I meant Higgins, but I certainly wasn’t describing Boyd. I like Boyd, but yeah, certainly not a high round pick in return for him.
I replied to your comment thinking the same. Thank you for clarifying.
I plum forgot to mention Higgins by name, but I’m surprised anyone would mistake my comment for being about Boyd. (e.g., “he’ll play next season at 24.”)
I was surprised as well, but the wording and the comment you replied made it certainly seem that way. Just the positioning of the comment, really.
I’ve seen your takes previously
WR1- Pickens
WR2- Boyd
slot- Addison
If you have Boyd, Boyd is your slot receiver.
not really.. he’s only slot now because of the 2 monsters on his team.
and will definitely leave in 24 because he’s not a slot.
name another 6’2 slot in the NFL..
Boyd has played most of his snaps from the slot every single year of his career, long before either monster was in the NFL. And these days, lots of bigger receivers mostly line up from the slot. Cooper Kupp and Ceedee Lamb both do. It’s not a Cole Beasley position anymore.
and those guys aren’t purely slots as you infer
regardless, Addison plays slot in any situation.
thanks for ruining a fun idea tho.
enjoy your super bowl party!
Those guys certainly move around more than Boyd. Boyd has played at least 84% of his snaps from the slot all but two seasons.
You think Addison has no shot on the outside? I guess I could see him being a Christian Kirk deep slot type, but I’m not sure he can’t hack it outside.
My big takeaway is that you’re itchy to lose Diontae, huh?
Enjoy your super bowl as well.
nice setup and counter. you have a point, but I still don’t see boyd as an ideal slot.
tes dionte is talented, but 1 year left on deal and turning into a distraction.
if he’s not traded this year, he’ll be gone same time Boyd hits the open market. there are possibilities.
I’m also cracking up because it’s such a fore gone conclusion that Addison is a steeler in my mind.
I keep forgetting that the pick still has to be made, and this upsets me.
I had them figured for a lineman or a corner. It’s not like they need to take receivers in the first.
When you have franchise QB you should never pay for more than one quality receiver.
Now, that’s not necessarily true. If just have one high quality receiver, you at the absolute minimum need a high quality tight end. Otherwise, you end in the same situation as the Packers did. The Patriots were able to get away with that for a handful of years due to the presence of Rob Gronkowski, but after his injury onset and the departure of Ammendola, Edelman wasn’t enough on his own to carry the load. They were never bad, but it was more difficult for Brady than it should have been, especially as he aged. In Tampa, we saw an instant difference, as he had possibly the receiving and tight end group in the league for two or so years. Rodgers still managed to get by well enough with Adams and Tonyan, but when Tonyan disappeared, his production dipped. Playoff teams adjusted well because playoff teams are just better, and can usually manage to cover one receiver, no matter how good he is. That’s where you notice the real difference between having an effective receiving corps and needing more help.
We could go on with examples, but the point is that an elite quarterback can put up big numbers with even a single elite receiver, but better teams can take that away much easier. Even so, there is no reason to not make the team better if you have the chance to do so. The Packers’ approach of “you just get one, deal with it” is really just counterproductive. No matter how good your QB or offense is, why in the world would you deny the chance to make it better? As a team, you should maximize your opportunities and capabilities, and if you have the chance, make your quarterback even more productive by giving him more options to be dangerous with.
I think a 3-4 year extension for Higgins makes the most sense for both sides. It’ll set him up to take advantage of the ever growing cap for a huge 3rd contract in his late 20s. Bcs of his agent tho, I’m not sure they’ll get that deal done. I very much question Higgins as a top end #1 WR tho. He doesn’t seem to have that killer instinct the top guys posses. He’s the kind of guy who catches more attention after the game on the stat sheet than during the game. This is Boyd’s last season as a Bengal. Good player but he’s very replaceable. Bengals should be looking at a mid round slot guy with major speed in the draft as his replacement.