Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, recovering from shoulder surgery, has some within the organization thinking about Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist Reggie Wayne.
Receivers coach Troy Walters threw out the big-time comparison for Higgins, who powered through a shoulder injury suffered last September to finish the season with 74 catches for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns.
Walters said the quick ascent for Higgins reminds him of Wayne’s rise behind No. 1 wideout Marvin Harrison with the Indianapolis Colts, per Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“By the end of his second season, he was clearly the No. 2 receiver behind Marv. (Wayne) was still a little raw as a route runner and he needed to work on some of his technique.
But in year two he had a great year and ever since then his career ascended and every year he got better and I see Tee as the same type. One year a learning experience, get better in year two and the sky’s the limit. I’m going to stay on him to get better each year so now he’s one of the elite receivers in the league.”
Higgins, who says he’s well on track to be ready for training camp after the surgery, hit the playoffs and recorded 309 yards and two scores while averaging 17.2 yards per catch. He might’ve been in the Super Bowl MVP conversation courtesy of four catches for 100 yards and two scores.
Wayne won a Super Bowl, went to six Pro Bowls, was a First-Team All-Pro, led the league in receiving (2007) and tallied 14,000-plus yards and 82 touchdowns from 2001-2014.
Call Higgins another case of a player living up to the team’s expectations, as they graded him as a Round 1 pick before he fell to the top of Round 2. If he’s the Wayne to Ja’Marr Chase’s Harrison, the Bengals will be in a good spot for a long time.
