The Kansas City Chiefs need another starting-caliber wide receiver with Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown sidelined for the remainder of the regular season, and it just so happens that the AFC rival Cincinnati Bengals’ backs will be up against the wall if they lose again in Week 6.
The Bengals are 1-4 heading into a Sunday Night Football road matchup with the 2-3 New York Giants. If they were to fall to 1-5, it’d be very likely that their 2024 playoff hopes are dead in the water.
And with wide receiver Tee Higgins playing on the franchise tag this year, it’s also likely that the star playmaker intends to test free agency next March. Meaning Cincinnati could very well lose him to another suitor after missing out on the postseason.
With all that in mind, Bleacher Report analyst Kristopher Knox placed Higgins on his weekly “trade block big board” on October 9.
“Tee Higgins is at the tail end of our list because the Bengals will have a chance to right the proverbial ship in the coming weeks,” Knox first acknowledged, referencing “winnable games” against the Giants and Cleveland Browns over the next two weeks.
“Cincinnati could be back to .500 by the trade deadline, and if it is, Higgins won’t be going anywhere,” the NFL writer continued. “If the Bengals continue to blow games, however, Higgins would be a logical trade commodity because he’s set to be a free agent in the spring.”
Finally, Knox noted that “Higgins is a high-end No. 2 receiver who should draw a fair return, even in a market that could be flooded with receiver talent.” He concluded that the Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys would be the most “logical suitors” if Higgins is made available.
Would the Bengals Ever Seriously Consider Trading Tee Higgins to the Chiefs in the Midst of a Potential Three-Peat?
Most Chiefs fans would sign up for Higgins in a heartbeat — and head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes II most likely would too, considering their injuries at wide receiver.
Having said that, the obvious question remains. Is this trade theory realistic?
Kansas City could certainly call the Bengals front office and make their pitch for Higgins, but assuming Cincinnati has other offers, why would they send the 25-year-old to one of their biggest AFC rivals over the past few seasons?
The only reason would be that the Chiefs’ offer is that much better than other teams. In a scenario such as this, the Bengals might elect to operate as a business first and a spurned competitor second.
After all, the best way to eventually beat Kansas City — as they did in 2021 — might be a high trade return for a rental WR.
In theory, a deal like this would weaken the Chiefs’ future while also strengthening Cincy’s ability to retool in next year’s draft. A win-win if the playoffs are out of reach.
Veteran WRs DeAndre Hopkins & Amari Cooper Continue to Be Listed as Trade Candidates for Chiefs
Along with Higgins, Knox also connected the Chiefs to veteran wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Amari Cooper, of the Tennessee Titans and Browns. And as most KC fans know, this is not the first time the organization has been suggested as a trade fit for one of these two pass-catchers.
As evidence of the Chiefs’ potential interest in Hopkins, Knox relayed that “ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter on [October 5] (h/t Bleacher Report’s Mike Chiari) that Kansas City ‘badly’ wanted to sign Hopkins during the 2023 offseason but couldn’t hash out a deal.”
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport also labeled the Titans vet an “interesting name to watch” while discussing the Chiefs on September 30.
Cooper rumors have popped up a bunch recently too, and A-to-Z Sports reporters Charles Goldman (Kansas City coverage) and Brandon Little (Cleveland coverage) recently collaborated on a trade proposal between the team franchises on October 9.
“Cooper would be an ideal target for the Chiefs, as he’s been a proven No. 1 target at every NFL stop thus far,” Knox argued with Bleacher Report. “He’d also make a ton of sense for the Cowboys because of his team-friendly contract.”
