Grade the trade proposal: Jaguars reunite Trevor Lawrence with Tee Higgins

The Jacksonville Jaguars revamped Trevor Lawrence's arsenal of weapons in the offseason. First, they signed Gabe Davis in free agency and later drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. However, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes the Jags could still make another addition to their wide receiver corps before the start of the 2024 season.

Knox put together a list of hypothetical trades and suggests Jacksonville trades for Tee Higgins, arguing that they added Thomas in the draft but could use help at the position after losing Calvin Ridley in free agency.

"If Higgins is or becomes available, the Jacksonville Jaguars should be interested. They did use a first-round pick on receiver Brian Thomas Jr., but they also lost Calvin Ridley in free agency.

Adding a receiver of Higgins' caliber could help maximize quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who just inked a massive five-year, $275 million extension."

Knox goes on to say that actively pursuing Higgins would help them justify giving Lawrence a top-market extension.

Higgins, a second-round pick in 2020, got the franchise tag early in the offseason. Not long after, he requested a trade. He later changed his stance and said he anticipated playing for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024.

Just recently, the former Clemson Tiger signed the tender and will reportedly attend training camp after missing mandatory minicamp. Regardless of what happens next year, it looks like he'll suit up for Cincy in 2024.

Back in college, Higgins was Lawrence's top target. With the Bengals, he's hauled in 257 receptions for 3,684 yards with 24 touchdowns the past four seasons. Most teams would love to have that kind of production from the receiver position.

Trading for Tee Higgins would be an uncessary luxury for the Jaguars

Kristopher Knox doesn't discuss the compensation of the trade but the Jacksonville Jaguars would probably have to give up a second-round selection to acquire Tee Higgins. But even if it were a third-rounder, it wouldn't make much sense to pull the trigger.

For starters, it's true that Calvin Ridley left in the offseason, but Brian Thomas Jr. is coming along nicely. By bringing in Higgins, the coaching staff could potentially hinder the rookie's development. Moreover, the Jags aren't in need of adding more weapons on offense right now.

Make no mistake, having Higgins in the mix would be great. However, Jacksonville's wide receiver corps is already loaded even if you leave Thomas out of the equation. They brought in Gabe Davis to replace Zay Jones, and Christian Kirk, who logged over 1,000 yards in 2022, is back at full strength after suffering a core injury near the end of last season.

If that wasn't enough, tight end Evan Engram gives Lawrence a reliable target in the middle. Simply put, there's no room for Higgins in the Jaguars' wide receiver corps. When you factor in that they would have to give up an early-round pick and give him a top-market contract, trading for him is unfeasible.

The bottom line is that Tee Higgins is a playmaker, one the Jaguars would love to get if they hadn't drafted Brian Thomas Jr. But they did draft Thomas and they expect him to fill the void left by Calvin Ridley, so trading for Higgins won't probably cross their mind anytime soon.

Grade: D

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