Tee Higgins hasn’t cleared concussion protocol yet as the Cincinnati Bengals drift into Week 14 – but he was “in uniform” at Monday’s walkthrough.
Mike Petraglia reported on X, formerly Twitter, that Higgins is “back in the locker room” as the Bengals prepare for a massive road game against the Buffalo Bills on December 7.
It marked the first tangible sign of forward movement since the $115 million wide receiver’s injury forced his exit from the Bengals’ 26–20 Week 12 loss to the New England Patriots on a cart after a brutal hit along the right sideline.
Higgins finished that afternoon with five catches for 31 yards.
Bengals Offense Could Sustain Its Rhythm With No Room For Error
Just four days ago, the Bengals looked like themselves again. Joe Burrow returned on Thanksgiving night and delivered a crisp, 261-yard, two-TD performance in a 32–14 win over the Baltimore Ravens – with both passing scores occurring in the second half.
At 4-8, Cincinnati still has a ways to go.
But with Burrow healthy and Ja’Marr Chase back in the mix, a functioning Higgins — even as a rotational piece — could restore passing-game balance.
If he’s unable to get the green light ahead of the Buffalo matchup, the Bengals will likely once again have more opportunities to spread between wideouts Andrei Iosivas and Mitchell Tinsley.
Higgins’ Outlook in Week 14
Zac Taylor made it clear Monday that Higgins, while in “great spirits,” is still in concussion protocol. Nothing has changed formally. Clearance will come down to symptoms and testing, and right now there is no set timetable attached to his return.
What helps Cincinnati is the calendar. The Bengals don’t play until Sunday, which gives Higgins a full week to progress instead of trying to sprint through protocol on a short turnaround. If things continue to move the right way, there is at least a real path for him to be available in Buffalo.
From the Bills’ side, the picture is not perfect either. Their defensive front, along with their secondary have battled injuries. And if Higgins does return, it immediately changes how they have to defend the boundary. You cannot sit primarily on Chase when Higgins is healthy enough to win one-on-one on the outside. Or vice-versa.
If Higgins plays, the Burrow-Chase-Higgins trio comes back Avengers: Endgame style. That part of the offense gives them their strongest shot at carrying momentum through December.
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