The New York Giants are in the market to acquire a new top-end wide receiver this offseason. The Giants could look to add a new receiving threat for Daniel Jones through the draft, but there are also opportunities for the Giants to add a more-established player via trade. Recent trades for wide receivers around the NFL have led to breakout campaigns from quarterbacks such as Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Tua Tagovailoa. The Giants could consider trading for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason to propel the breakout of Daniel Jones and the Giants’ offense in 2023.
Giants acquire Tee Higgins in mock trade:
Acquiring Tee Higgins from the Bengals will cost the Giants a pretty penny. Higgins has established himself as one of the premier outside receivers in the NFL, and the Bengals will not be keen on letting him go for a low price. Considering other blockbuster wide receiver trades made around the NFL in recent years, a trade for Tee Higgins could look like this:
- Giants receive: WR Tee Higgins
- Bengals receive: Giants’ 2023 first-round pick (25th overall), 2023 third-round pick (100th overall)
The main point of reference for this mock trade is the AJ Brown trade completed between the Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles last offseason. The Eagles and Titans agreed to terms during the 2022 NFL Draft. The Eagles sent a 2022 first-round pick (18th overall) and a 2022 third-round pick (101st overall) to the Titans in exchange for wide receiver AJ Brown. This season, Brown totaled a career-high 1,496 yards on 88 receptions with 11 touchdowns for the Eagles. Philadelphia acquired Brown, immediately paid him, and saw top-end returns in his first season with the team.
Chase Claypool was traded mid-season to the Chicago Bears, who sent a second-round pick to the Steelers to acquire the 24-year-old wide receiver. Higgins surpasses Claypool in talent and achievement, though, meaning the Giants will likely need to cough up more than a second-round pick to get the deal done.
For further reference, the Bills acquired Stefon Diggs from the Vikings in exchange for a first-round pick and picks in rounds four, five, and six. Tyreek Hill was traded to the Dolphins with Miami sending a first-round pick, a second-round pick, two fourth-round picks, and a sixth-round pick to the Chiefs.
Wide receivers do not come cheap in the modern NFL. The New York Giants will need to cough up a nice chunk of change if they want to haul in Tee Higgins this offseason. The benefits of completing this deal, however, could be tremendous.
Tee Higgins is only 24 years old and could be a star in the Giants’ offense for years to come. He totaled over 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, including 74 receptions, 1,029 yards, and seven touchdowns for the Bengals in 2022.
Tee Higgins would instantly upgrade the Giants’ receiving corps and enter become Daniel Jones’s primary receiving threat in Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka’s offense. Higgins is the total package, possessing the menacing 6-4 stature that makes him one of the best deep threats in the NFL, and also the route-running abilities to get him open on a down-to-down basis. Daniel Jones could finally rely on an elite wide receiver if Tee Higgins were acquired by the New York Giants.