Are the Arizona Cardinals seriously in the running to trade for Tee Higgins?
By Sion Fawkes
With so many draft picks and more than enough cap space, expect rumblings regarding the Arizona Cardinals every time a big-name player is potentially landing on the trade block. This week, it was Tee Higgins per Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report. Higgins may be looking to get out of Cincinnati after he and the Bengals have yet to move forward regarding a new contract, so don’t be surprised if they try to move him before or at the trade deadline if they can’t reach a deal.
Higgins would be an enticing asset for the Redbirds, and he would be yet another big-bodied receiver in the desert alongside Zach Pascal and Michael Wilson. Higgins, listed at 6’4, 215 lbs, was drafted in 2020 and he has 215 receptions in three seasons, which averages to roughly 71.5 catches per year. He also has 19 career touchdowns, a receiving success rate of 58.2%, and a 64.2% catch percentage.
Quietly, Higgins has become one of the best WR2s in football, and he even has the potential to become a sound WR1 if needed. But are the Cardinals seriously in contention to trade for Higgins?
Are the Arizona Cardinals a serious landing spot for Tee Higgins?
A player of Higgins’ caliber would undoubtedly want to move to a contender, but if he likes what he sees with the Cardinals rebuild, then perhaps general manager Monti Ossenfort will consider making a move. Ossenfort has the draft capital to pull off such a trade, and he could even swap someone like Greg Dortch, Rondale Moore, or perhaps even Zach Ertz to Cincinnati as compensation.
While Ertz played a big role in the Cardinals 20-16 loss to the Washington Commanders, he’s far less enticing of a player at this point in his career than Higgins. The fourth-year receiver is just 24, and his best playing days are still around the corner.
However, it would be tough to see a rebuilding team like the Cards in the running for this one unless Higgins wants to make the desert his home. But again, if he likes their rebuilding effort and believes they can contend in a season or two, then yes, Arizona will be in contention if the Bengals move Higgins.
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(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)