I Think He Should' Ask Bengals for Trade. Smith isn't confident that the Bengals will keep their star players this offseason.

The Cincinnati Bengals can officially place a second franchise tag on Tee Higgins this week and reportedly plan to do so if a long-term extension doesn’t gain traction. Until then, speculation about Higgins leaving the Bengals won’t stop. So much so that Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence just spoke on the idea with Kay Adams.

Quarterback Joe Burrow led the league in passing yards. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase won the NFL’s receiving triple crown. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson led the league in sacks. Normally, that would lead to a fantastic season. It didn’t even lead to a playoff berth for Cincinnati.

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow details how the team can overcome its early season struggles and how he looks to improve from a career year in this one-on-one interview.

The Cincinnati Bengals are currently under assault from all sides, an attack spearheaded by quarterback Joe Burrow himself. Burrow just had another extensive interview—this time a lengthy podcast—in which he detailed ways he is willing to re-do his contract and his overall cap knowledge while imploring the Bengals to find ways to keep key players.

Carson Palmer demanded a trade in 2010 following his eighth season with the Bengals. He was the No. 1 overall pick in 2003 and won the Hesiman Trophy at USC. The situations would be eerily similar if Burrow had to go down that road.

Burrow, however, shone brightly, earning the 2024 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award after overcoming a wrist injury that had prematurely ended his 2023 season. He led the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, showcasing his resilience and talent.

Quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been paid what he deserves, said last week that the Bengals “ have the cap space to get it done” with the team’s best players who currently are in line for new contract: receiver Ja’Marr Chase, receiver Tee Higgins, defensive end Trey Hendrickson, tight end Mike Gesicki.

With the franchise tag window opening this week, one report has already revealed that the Bengals will hit Higgins with a second tag if the two sides can’t reach a long-term agreement. Now, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has followed up with a bit of a bombshell report: The team will attempt to secure a trio of stars who need new deals — wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson — for the long term,