Since he was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, Tee Higgins has shone as one of the premier receivers in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, he’s facing one of the most impactful contract decisions of his life, free agency.
Former Clemson standout quarterback Trevor Lawrence is doing what he can to throw the Jacksonville Jaguars’ name into the mix, appearing on the Up & Adams show with Kay Adams this February.
“What’s my best pitch? Obviously, I’m sure, he’s got a relationship with Joe (Burrow), if everything goes well, I’m sure he wouldn’t want to leave, but if that wasn’t the case, I think I definitely would be up next as far as Tee and our relationship and what we’ve done in the past,” Lawrence said. “We played together for two years and had a lot of success in college, and we could definitely do that again in Jacksonville, and Jacksonville, I think, is a pitch in itself as far as a place to live.”
While at Clemson, Lawrence and Higgins amassed over 2,000 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns together over a two-year span. The two went 29-1 together while with the Tigers, with their sole loss coming at the hands of the receiver’s current quarterback, Joe Burrow.
Lawrence was careful to be respectful to Burrow, highlighting the success of the Bengals offense. However, the former Clemson standout couldn’t help himself from expressing interest in a reunion, especially with Higgins’ contract situation heading into the offseason, saying that he would “love to be throwing to him again.”
Last summer, it seemed like the Bengals were set to move on from Higgins. With the defense getting the blame, it felt like the most effective way for Cincinnati to find success would be to tag and trade the receiver, allowing the team to prioritize the other side of the ball. However, Cincinnati decided to keep Higgins under the franchise tag, making a push for the Super Bowl.
After failing to reach the postseason, the Bengals are expected to tag him again and trade him to a team interested in offering a contract extension.
While the fifth-year wideout has had talented quarterbacks throughout his entire collegiate and professional career, Lawrence has not had the same luck, making the playoffs once in his career and looking for an offense with weapons that were similar to Clemson’s during his tenure from 2018-2020.
However, recent acquisitions have made the Jaguars a relatively more enticing team compared to past seasons. Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. had a standout first season and new head coach Liam Coen has proven himself as someone who can get the most out of a No. 1 pick.
With the right offer, Jacksonville could be in play to sign Higgins, and fans can hope Coen, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator a season ago, would be able to replicate the success of quarterback Baker Mayfield and his two-star receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, over with the Jaguars.
While the odds are not in the Jaguars’ favor, if things change, a reunion with two former Clemson fan favorites could be made a reality.
