Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is confident in this prediction that Tee Higgins isn't going anywhere. Although Higgins is a potential name to watch at the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon, Houshmandzadeh believes there's a minuscule chance that the 25-year-old receiver will be traded.
“Tee isn't going anywhere,” says Houshmandzadeh in a one-on-one interview with ClutchPoints on behalf of his partnership with Tide. “If you're the Bengals, Tee Higgins leaves, you're going to get a third-round compensatory pick anyway. Unless you're giving me a first or second-round pick, why would I trade him? I'm not trading him for anything less than that.”
“If a team comes with something, maybe I can talk,” Houshmandzadeh continues to say. “And it sucks because the Bengals are kind of still there. I would it's probably less than a 5% chance that he's moved.”
The fifth-year receiver is currently playing on the franchise tag after failing to come to a long-term agreement with the Bengals during the offseason. While Higgins' name has been connected to trade rumors, a recent report from The Athletic's Dianna Russini indicates the Bengals won't entertain trade offers for their star receiver.
Higgins is one of the NFL's top No. 2 receivers, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons during the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. Alongside Ja'Marr Chase, the Bengals have arguably the top receiving duo in the NFL. However, Cincinnati is in a bit of a bind considering both of their young star wide receivers are in the final year of their deals.
In other words, the Bengals risk losing both of their star wideouts in free agency next offseason. A potential compensatory third-round draft pick for losing Higgins obviously doesn't match his actual value.
With that being said, the Bengals are in playoff contention at 4-5 and face a big game on Thursday Night Football against their division rivals in the Baltimore Ravens. There's no reason to believe they're sellers at the trade deadline, especially considering they're only a game out of the final Wild Card spot in the AFC playoff race.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh doesn't expect ‘big' player to be moved at NFL trade deadline
Houshmandzadeh — who played 11 years in the NFL and was a Pro Bowler in 2007 — doesn't expect any major trades involving big players at the trade deadline. The former Pro Bowl wide receiver argues that there are rarely ever big trades in the NFL at the deadline, especially when compared to other sports such as the NBA and MLB.
“There may be some trades, but I don't know if we'll see a big player moving,” says Houshmandzadeh. “I don't think we'll see that. The NFL is nothing like the NBA where you see the big names moving — or even in baseball — sometimes you see the big names moving. NFL is a little more conservative when it comes to that. But I would say less than 5% chance we see a big name, especially Tee Higgins, he goes nowhere.”
Houshmandzadeh tailgates with Bengals fans during Raiders win
While Houshmandzadeh played for four different teams, he's best known for his eight-year tenure with the Bengals. It was with Cincinnati where the 6-foot-2 receiver enjoyed his best years, including co-leading the NFL in receptions (112) during the 2007 season while posting 1,143 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns — both career highs.
The former longtime Bengals receiver partied with Bengals faithful during the team's most recent home game, a 41-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders this past Sunday.
“When you play, you never really get the opportunity to get out and tailgate with the fans,” says Houshmandzadeh. “Partnering up with Tide, they gave me that opportunity to be with the fans on a different level. It was fun. It was a different experience to see it from the other side.
“We did some rituals and activities, played some guys in corn hole — hopefully don't bring the video up — I smoked them, I won that,” Houshmandzadeh continues to say. “We ate some chili, had some mishaps and there was stains all on my sweater. Tide took care of that — no one cleans better than Tide. From that perspective, we were good.”
The Bengals will look to keep the good times rolling when they visit the Ravens in Baltimore in Week 10. Cincinnati previously lost a 41-38 heartbreaker in overtime in Week 5 to the Ravens.
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