As much as he minced his words when it came to losing games the defense gave away, he still looked like the leader the Bengals needed. If they franchise tag Higgins with the intention of trading him, the not-so-nice side of Burrow could arise.

The Cincinnati Bengals ended 2024 with a 9-8 record and missed the playoffs - but their offseason could set them up for the 2025 campaign

The most prominent example right now is ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, whose set of bold offseason projections has the Buffalo Bills blowing the Bengals “out of the water” with a Higgins trade offer:

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has said that he would go to surprising lengths in order to tie down wide receiver Tee Higgins to the franchise.

“Obviously, we want to build something here in Cinci, but it’s not in my hands right now,” Higgins said, via Joe Danneman of FOX19 Cincinnati. “So, I’ve got to do what I need to do. If that’s go to another team, then that’s what happens.”

Most Cincinnati Bengals trade projections that include Tee Higgins fall flat because the team just won't do it. Those Bengals value their own far too much and when in an actual standoff, well, fans re

The franchise tag window opens on Tuesday, February 18 and lasts until Tuesday, March 4. That means the Bengals will have two weeks to make a decision on Higgins. They used the tag on the star wide receiver early in the process last season. We'll see if they go that route again this year.

The Cincinnati Bengals endured yet another season without any playoff football, and their 2025 campaign might be similar if their offseason goes a certain way.