The Cincinnati Bengals still have an eye on the AFC playoff standings, though some of the focus for fans has understandably shifted to the 2024 NFL draft.
There, the Bengals are again one of the harder teams in the league to project. But one of the more common things that comes up is the Tee Higgins conversation and how the team might look to replace him if he leaves in free agency.
A new mock draft from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler hits this point again by having the team take Washington wideout Rome Odunze at 15th overall:
Bengals fans will be understandably dejected if Tee Higgins departs this offseason, but drafting Odunze as a replacement might be the best-case scenario among the realistic options. At 6-3, 217 with 4.4 speed, the Washington pass catcher can create his own spacing mid-route and is also one of the best contested-catch receivers in college football.
Besides Bengals fans wincing at the idea of another first-round Washington wideout, Odunze is clearly one of the best prospects in the draft and so far has 73 catches for 1,326 yards and 13 scores this year.
But it’s hard to say if the Bengals will actually lose Higgins. In his contract year, he’s only been able to suit up for seven games so far. The team could easily apply a franchise tag in an effort to extend this contention window.
And if they don’t, perhaps they end up seeing something they really like from current rookies Charlie Jones and Andrei Iosivas down the stretch during developmental snaps that steer them in another direction in Round 1 next year.
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