NFL Trade Rumors: Cincinnati Bengals enter buyer’s market, make decision on Tee Higgins ahead of trade deadline

The Cincinnati Bengals are focused on upgrading their vulnerable defense as the trade deadline approaches. The cutoff time for all NFL teams to make their trade-related moves is Tuesday, November 5, at 4 p.m., before Week 10 begins! Ahead of the trade deadline, the typically conservative, Cincinnati Bengals have pulled off a rare move by entering the buyer's market.

Although the Bengals are currently 3-5, the team's ultimate goal is to take home the AFC Championship and play in the Super Bowl. With this in mind, the Bengals are looking to acquire fresh troops on the defensive end, as they prepare for the critical second half of the 2024-25 season, as reported by Dianna Russini, the Senior NFL at Insider The Athletic.

Specifically, the Bengals are looking to onboard a cornerback and a defensive lineman to support Defensive Coordinator, Lou Anarumo. Currently, the team's most reliable player on defense is edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, which leaves their defense vulnerable--something that the team wants to fix to remain competitive in the challenging AFC field.

While the Bengals are willing to make their defense strong, they have no plans to trade their wide receiver Tee Higgins for now. Earlier this year, discussions about a potential trade involving Higgins were rampant, as he expressed a desire for a long-term contract. However, he agreed to sign his franchise tender and continue with the team before entering free agency.

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Tee Higgins is a focal point of the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive strategy

Talking about this season, Tee Higgins' impact on the team is clear as water. When he was present on the field, the team had a 3-2 record while during his absence, the Bengals stumbled to a dismal 0-3.

In the game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 27, where Higgins was absent due to a quad injury, the Bengals suffered a 37-17 loss.

Talking about the upcoming game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Higgins' absence (listed as doubtful) can once again prove to be costly for the Bengals.

Higgins had high expectations from this season. However, it seems to be the repetition of the last season, the same old situation where injuries have plagued him. Last year, he only played in 12 NFL games!

Considering all the above-mentioned factors, the Cincinnati Bengals' decision to keep Higgins shows the amount of confidence the team has in the 25-year-old Wide Receiver.