Analyst sees Jaguars' division foe as perfect landing spot for Tee Higgins in 2025
Wide receiver Tee Higgins was the subject of trade talks because he got the franchise tag instead of the long-term deal he was looking for. Heck, the Jacksonville Jaguars were brought up as a potential destination for him. However, the former Clemson Tiger is now expected to play for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024. Next year, though, he could be available in free agency, which makes Mike Herndon of Paulkuharsky.com believe that one of the Jags' division rivals would be the perfect fit for Higgins.
Herndon thinks that the Bengals receiver would fill a need for the Titans next year if they don't re-sign DeAndre Hopkins before the start of free agency.
If the #Titans don’t extend DeAndre Hopkins between now and then, Tee Higgins will definitely be a name of interest next offseason for obvious reasons. Like Hopkins, he’d be a great stylistic fit next to Calvin Ridley. https://t.co/PXY9wZbgmW
— Mike Herndon (@MikeHerndonNFL) July 14, 2024
Higgins has been looking for an extension since 2023. However, Cincinnati hasn't engaged in contract talks with him since last year. They applied the franchise tag on him in February and expect him to be on the team in 2024.
Given that an extension before the July 15 deadline seems unlikely, he'll be indeed suiting up for the Bengals next season. That said, his future beyond 2024 is currently unknown.
The Jags were seen as a potential trade destination for Higgins because Calvin Ridley was set to become a free agent. On top of that, he was Trevor Lawrence's favorite target in college, making Jacksonville a logical landing spthe Bengals receiver. However, Jacksonville drafted Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd overall, putting end to the possibility of trading for Higgins.
A second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020, Higgins has appeared in 58 games with 53 starts the past four seasons, hauling in 257 catches for 3,684 yards with 24 touchdowns. But as productive as he's been for the Bengals, they'll prioritize paying fellow receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who's slated to hit free agency next year.
The Jaguars should be worried about the Titans acquiring Tee Higgins
If the Tennessee Titans signed Tee Higgins next year, he would join a division that's stacked with wide receiver talent. The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Brian Thomas Jr. and signed Gabe Davis. The Houston Texans traded for Stefon Diggs, and the Indianapolis Colts used a second-round pick on Adonai Mitchell.
The Titans, for their part, signed Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd. If they acquired Higgins in 2025, their wide receiver corps could go from good to great, which wouldn't be great news for Jacksonville.
It's worth pointing out that Tennessee, under general manager Ran Carthon, hasn't been afraid to make a splash acquisitions. He poached Ridley from the Jags in free agency and later traded for cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. The Titans are projected to have $85 million in cap space in 2025, so they could realistically make a run for Higgins and still have enough left for a couple more signings.
Having said that, the Jaguars have gotten significantly better since the end of the 2023 season. If they bounce back, it won't matter if the Titans or any of their division foes load up on weapons next year.