Bengals
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin admitted it will be difficult to retain free agent WR Tee Higgins this offseason, but thinks they have “the resources to do it.”
“It’s going to be hard,” Tobin said, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We feel like we have the resources to do it, but it all depends on how the negotiation goes and whether they’re willing to accept wanting to come back at a number that makes sense for everybody. And you know what we do with Tee going forward, I’ve always been very upfront in my desire to have Tee Higgins on our team. I’ve never not been upfront about that, and that desire continues, but we have to be able to come together with his representation on what that means and what the right number is for his experience, for his play time, for his production. And let’s find something that works for everybody, because he is a guy that we want to have here, and hopefully that can come together, but we have other guys who are trying to take big bites of the apple in other areas, and we’re going to have to balance those as we go forward.”
Tobin has gotten feedback from Joe Burrow on retaining Higgins but points out they need to find common ground on a deal.
“Yeah, and then I try to get feedback from him, and I try to give him my thoughts on what can and can’t be done, and we’re normally on the same page. And yes, it’s easy to want Tee Higgins back. I want Tee Higgins back too. It’s all about finding a contract that works for both sides, and if we’re really engaged with his representation at doing that, I think we can get it done. But if there’s no engagement to get something done that makes sense, then it’s going to be very difficult, and we’ll have to see what other avenues we have.”
As for Ja’Marr Chase entering an option year in 2025, Tobin called an extension for the receiver a “priority for us.”
“It’s a priority for us. It’s something we feel like there’s a framework to work off of. Should be a pretty easy framework to work off of. Guys in his position have recently redone contracts. We believe in Ja’Marr, he’s very important to us. The other guys that have done contracts are very important to their teams. So we believe there’s a real framework to work off of. I would expect that we could come together on something that makes sense for both sides.”
Ravens
Ravens K Justin Tucker has come under fire after six allegations of sexual misconduct by massage therapists in the Baltimore area. John Harbaugh said they still have a “zero tolerance policy” and any decision regarding Tucker is up to owner Steve Bisciotti.
“I respect what [owner] Steve Bisciotti and [ex-president] Dick Cass created here almost 10 years ago,” Harbaugh said, via Albert Breer. “Basically, we’re zero tolerance. You have to know the truth, you have to try to understand the circumstances, but we’ve stayed away from that particular situation—when we draft players, when we sign them as free agents. That’s Steve’s decision, and I’m glad that we have that policy.”
- According to Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens DB coach Doug Mallory is unlikely to return to the team in his current role for next season.
Steelers
Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac addressed reports that Steelers OC Arthur Smith and QB Russell Wilson didn’t have the same mindset once Wilson eventually took over as the team’s starter.
“According to several sources, Smith did not want Wilson changing plays at the line of scrimmage, like he did in Cincinnati, and deviating from the game plan,” Dulac wrote. “Wilson’s desire to attack with the pass and throw down the field clashed with Smith’s run-first mentality, causing philosophical friction between the two.”
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