Brian Burns, L’Jarius Sneed and other reasons Bengals won’t trade Tee Higgins

The Cincinnati Bengals undoubtedly have a set price in mind in the unlikely event the front office decides to trade star wideout Tee Higgins.

That’s just how the Bengals do business, and this year, more than most, it’s probably the smart play.

Cincinnati doesn’t have much incentive to cough up the franchise-tagged star given his importance to Joe Burrow’s offense. Beyond that, the team retains control for at least this season. And while this might feel like a Jessie Bates situation again (in a way, it is), the ever-increasing salary cap could encourage the Bengals to consider a second-consecutive franchise tag.

But events outside of the organization play a big role in the unlikeliness of a trade, too. The following deals and factors say that the current trade market just won’t see an offer come in for Higgins that the Bengals even remotely consider.