Tagging Tee Higgins, DJ Reader's status among important answers from Bengals' Duke Tobin at 2024 NFL Combine

The confirmation of ample cap space gave Tobin and the Bengals comfort in designating nearly $22 million towards him. He's one of the team's best and most important players, but the hasty decision leads to the belief that a long-term partnership doesn't appear to be in the cards. 

Logistically, if the Bengals were to interest trading Higgins, an early tag could better facilitate that. Tobin didn't state anything of the sort, instead reaffirming his stance on keeping the 25-year old on the roster. 

"We tagged him with the intent of him playing for us," Tobin reiterated. "He's a good player. We want good players. He fits us perfectly. So we tagged him for that reason, the hypotheticals of what could happen, it's hard for me to say."

Of course, the best way to ensure a high return in a trade is to make your side appear more valuable. Tobin is likely speaking what's true, and in turn, reassuring an alternative path forward would lead to the best possible compensation.

Mum's the word on Joe Mixon and his roster bonus

The Bengals are not going to trade running back Joe Mixon. They will either keep him for next season, or release him in the coming weeks.

Timing is critical since Mixon is owed a $3 million roster bonus on March 18. Tobin recognizes that, but says it isn't going to factor in their decision.

"Mixon's roster bonus? It doesn't complicate [a decision]," Tobin said "We put it in there for a reason, and his agent wanted it in there for a reason. But again, from our strategy standpoint, what we intend to do, I'm not going to get into that with any of our players. But he does have a roster bonus."

Mixon's bonus will kick in a handful of days after free agency begins. The Bengals can observe what the running back market is looking like, field offers to potential replacements, and make a decision ahead of the deadline.

But all of that is a few weeks away. Tobin wasn't going to break any news on the matter here.

Don't count out a DJ Reader re-signing

Should the Bengals make a notable re-signing aside from Higgins, nose tackle DJ Reader would've been a decent bet had he not gotten hurt in December.

Reader's torn quad he suffered in Week 15 has him in the midst of a months-long recovery process. That will undoubtedly complicate his free agency, but Tobin words indicate there's a chance the two sides could reunite next season.

"Are we talking to him? We are talking to him," Tobin said of talks with Reader. "He's in the building every day, rehabbing, trying to get trying to get himself in position to to have another successful season.

"He's been through this injury before on the other side. So we think he's going to get through it and be be just fine. But we're talking to him like we are a lot of our UFAs, and seeing if there's an opportunity to get him signed back."

Should the Bengals lose Reader, they will have a ton of work to do replacing him. Defensive tackle is arguably their biggest need, and the injury clouding his 2024 status only accentuates that. 

Truthfully, Reader's injury may've increased the likelihood of his coming back. His market could be impacted as he's just a few months removed from a major injury. A fully healthy Reader would command an even larger deal than the four-year, $52 million contract he signed with the Bengals in 2020. 

Tobin didn't close any doors Tuesday, especially not that one.