Joe Burrow responds to Tee Higgins being franchised by the Bengals

After the organization recognized wide receiver Tee Higgins as a franchise player, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals is pleased that Higgins will return to the team for the upcoming season (barring an offseason trade). Burrow also expects that the two parties will eventually reach an agreement on a long-term extension.

“Having him back this year, obviously, I hope we’re going to have him longer, but it’s exciting for me to have him this year and then it’s a nice little payday for him,” Burrow said on Higgins. “Then hopefully he gets another one here soon.”

Burrow’s current remarks about Higgins are consistent with his earlier remarks made this year, during which he expressed his strong preference for Higgins to stay in Cincinnati.

“Our relationship is not a secret,” Burrow stated of Higgins in January. “I anticipate Tee returning. That, I believe, is the attitude in the locker room. Everyone wants Tee back… We are aware of his style as a player. We are aware of his character. He epitomizes what it means to be a Bengal.”

Burrow’s return schedule made clear

Burrow needs to be on the field throwing the ball to Higgins in order to take advantage of his receiver skills, and the Bengals quarterback just shared some encouraging news in that regard.

Burrow expressed his hope to be fully cleared and back on the field in the coming months, following surgery to treat a wrist issue that ended his season last year.

“I think middle of May is when I am expecting to kind of be cleared for full contact and everything,” Burrow stated. In the upcoming month or month and a half, we will essentially make those decisions.

“. . . I can lift basically normally now, which I’m excited about,” Burrow stated. “I’ll essentially be doing the same thing I’ve been doing for the past couple of years for the next two months. Just the additional 12 weeks of work behind us.”

Higgins was flagged, but there’s still a chance the Bengals try to move the effective receiver this summer. Burrow would obviously not be overly pleased if this were to happen.