Joe Burrow participated in his first on-field workout since suffering a season-ending wrist fracture last November. The star quarterback returns to the Cincinnati Bengals amid two key players reportedly wanting out.
Tee Higgins and Trey Henderickson each requested a trade this offseason. Burrow stood by his teammates when addressing reporters on Tuesday.
“Those guys have their business they need to take care of. I support them in every way,” Burrow said, per team reporter Geoff Hobson. “Both those guys have earned everything that has come to them and more. I’ll support them all the way through it. Whatever they feel like is best for their career. That’s for them and their agents and their families to decide.”
With that said, Burrow would like Higgins and Hendrickson to stay in Cincinnati.
“I really hope both those guys are here next year because we are a better football team with both of them,” he added. “They are both great locker room guys, too. They are going to do what they’ve got to do, but when the time comes for them to come back, if that time comes, we are going to welcome them back and hit our stride.”
Higgins requested a trade after the Bengals used their franchise tag on the star wideout. However, he later said he expects to play for Cincinnati this season.
Meanwhile, Hendrickson has two more years remaining on an extension signed last summer. The defensive lineman made his third straight Pro Bowl with a career-high 17.5 sacks in 2023.
Higgins and Hendrickson are critical pieces for the Bengals, who missed the postseason after losing Burrow in Week 11. Yet their budget is tighter after giving the quarterback a $275 million deal last September.