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The Cincinnati Bengals have a big choice to make about their team. They need to think about free agency and how to make their defense better. This is important because the defense almost stopped Joe Burrow from winning an MVP award this year. So, they have some tough decisions ahead.
But that’s not all. Their next big challenge is figuring out how to keep Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the team while also having enough money for Burrow’s contract. ESPN even says Higgins is the top free agent, which means he’ll be expensive.
Higgins’ price tag is sky-high, and if the Bengals can’t match it, another team will swoop in. But money isn’t everything, right? Just look at Brandon Aiyuk, who turned down more cash from the Patriots to stay with the 49ers. Sometimes it’s about more than just dollars.
In Cincinnati, Higgins often plays second fiddle to Chase. He might find a starring role on a different team, though. According to Jeremy Fowler at ESPN, it’s likely he’ll head elsewhere instead of sticking around in Cincinnati.
“It’s possible, but would require some significant trade-offs,” an AFC executive told Fowler. “They will have close to $70 million a year tied up in receivers, plus the quarterback cost. I think it makes more sense to go the cheap route, especially given the improvements they need to make on defense.”
The Bengals have to show Higgins that taking less money could lead to winning a championship. It’s tricky since they’ve never won a Super Bowl before. But staying in Cincinnati might not be about money for Higgins next season.
Cincinnati needs Higgins as much as he needs them. They need to convince him he’s crucial to their success. Maybe they can offer incentives or a bigger signing bonus to make up for a smaller salary.
The Bengals are tight on cap space, trying to juggle paying Burrow, Chase, and Higgins fairly. That’s why the AFC executive doubts Higgins will stay put.
Remember, the Bengals wouldn’t have finished the season strong without Higgins. Even though Chase was amazing, Higgins was essential as the second option.
If Cincinnati values him so much, imagine what other teams think! Teams like the New England Patriots could easily offer him more money and a leading role. That’s hard to resist, even with championship dreams in Cincinnati.
The Bengals had a great offense this year, but their defense let them down. They might face similar issues again unless they fix those defensive gaps.
Focusing on defense could mean losing Higgins, which might not be terrible if they draft a worthy replacement.