The AFC North could have an interesting wrinkle to it if Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson has anything to say about it.
On the Lockerverse app, the Browns’ quarterback vouched for Cincinnati Bengals’ soon-to-be free agent WR Tee Higgins to end up in Cleveland.
“You’re going to get the ball,” said Watson. “We want to pass the ball, you know what I’m saying. So, that’s what we’re going to pass the ball.”
Watson played in just six games for the Browns this season and one of those games was just a couple of drives. A shoulder injury derailed his season. Still, Amari Cooper totaled a career-high 1,250 receiving yards with four different quarterbacks throwing him the ball in 2023.
There is a very real chance that the Bengals decide to franchise tag Higgins, if they do he is not going to end up in Cleveland. Cincinnati can trade him after the tag, though they’re not trading him to a division rival. Still, the potential thought of Cooper and Higgins sharing the field with Nick Chubb running the ball is appealing.
We going to take care of you. Cleveland fans are going to love you, they’re going to love you to death,” Watson said with seriousness. “We got the Clemson ties, we didn’t get to play with each other but this is our opportunity.”
Watson played at Clemson from 2014-2016 and Higgins starred there from 2017-2019. As a pro, Higgins had 1,000-yard seasons in his second and third seasons. This past season without Joe Burrow for much of the way, Higgins saw a drop-off in production and finished with 656 yards.
Getting Higgins is going to be expensive for any team on a new contract. A to Z cap experts Josh Queipo and Kyle Dediminicantanio have projected what Higgins will receive on the open market.
“Outside of Evans, Higgins will be the most sought-after receiving option on the market for wide receiver-needy teams. And with the recent explosion in the valuation of the receiver market, he will be able to lock in a contract well ahead of other recent “Robins” like Chris Godwin and Mike Williams.
• Franchise Tag Likelihood: Low
• 3 yrs $70.5M, $23.5M APY, $45M Fully GTD
• Year One Cap Hit: $7.5 million.” – A to Z Sports.
While it would be a splash move that would surprise a lot of folks, don’t count the Browns out from making a move. This is the team that traded for Watson, after all.
