How the Chicago Bears could land WR Tee Higgins |
Is wide receiver a top concern for the Chicago Bears this offseason?
No, but given the talent available in free agency this year at the wide receiver position, it would be a huge mistake to ignore the options, especially since last season marked the second time in three years that the Bears did not have a 1,000-yard receiver. In all fairness, current Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins did not have 1,000 yards this year, although he was close with 911 yards. However, Higgins excelled at finding the end zone, as he had 10 touchdowns this year, a career-high and No. 6 in the NFL. He averaged 12.5 yards per reception, more than everyone on the Bears last year except rookie Rome Odunze. Higgins was franchise-tagged going into the 2024 season, a move he was not happy about, and subsequently requested a trade. The Bengals may have cap space, but it does not seem they have enough to pay Higgins what he deserves. If that comes to fruition, he will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in March. Why would the Bears want Higgins? Chicago already has DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Odunze. I do not believe Allen is worth bringing back, which would make Odunze the No. 2 receiver on the team. While the Bears drafted him at No. 9 overall for a reason, Chicago would be in a better position at wide receiver if they kept Odunze at No. 3. Signing Higgins would allow them to do that. Furthermore, Higgins would fit head coach and offensive play-caller Ben Johnson’s aggressive playcalling. What he did in Detroit was partly successful because of all the weapons he had to work with. He had receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams with tight end Sam LaPorta. Imagine what he could do with Moore, Odunze, Higgins, and Chicago’s tight end Cole Kmet. There are two potential problems with signing Higgins. The first, and probably the most significant problem, is his salary. Last offseason, Justin Jefferson helped reset the wide receiver market when he received his contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Jefferson makes an average of $35 million annually, and Higgins would most likely demand a salary close to this. Say Higgins wanted $30 million a year. Chicago has $70 million in cap space to work with, so a $30 million contract would take a large chunk of the cap space that the Bears need to spend on other positions, such as offensive line and edge rusher. There are ways to structure the cap hit so it was not as large in the 2025 season. For example, Jefferson’s contract has a cap hit of under nine million dollars this past year and will be slightly over $15 million in 2025. If Chicago negotiated a similar contract with Higgins, it could be a cap-friendly contract. In addition, now is the time to make this kind of deal since Chicago’s quarterback is still on his rookie contract. If the Bears can figure out the financials, one potential problem remains. Chicago may not be the best destination for a player like Higgins. He has spent a lot of time behind Ja’Marr Chase. If Higgins came to the Bears, he may be the No. 2 receiver behind Moore. Going to a team where he was the top receiver may be more appealing to Higgins. Getting the dynamic trio of Moore, Higgins, and Odunze would make the Bears' offense rather formidable this upcoming season, with Johnson calling the plays. If they can make it happen, they should certainly pursue it.
