Cincinnati Bengals fans hoping that Tee Higgins will re-sign with the team in free agency, potentially at a reduced rate, won’t like the advice that Chad Johnson shared for Higgins. Johnson, speaking from experience, advised Higgins to maximize his money and not to leave dollars on the table in order to stay in Cincinnati.

Chad Johnson advices Tee Higgins not to take a ‘hometown discount’ to stay in Cincinnati

“To me I think it’s kind of selfish of myself and as fans to tell Tee, ‘Well, why don’t you take less to stay here with us?’ You only have one shot. Just one,” Johnson said. “You don’t give a hometown discount. Not on your first deal.

“As much as I would love Tee to be there, I want him to get what he deserves. To be able to take care of your family, your mom, all those who sacrificed for you growing up. I want his kids’ kids to be straight. You can’t do that taking hometown discounts. I’m just being honest.”

Johnson has a point. At the end of the day, Higgins has to do what he feels is best for himself and his future, and he shouldn’t necessarily be expected to take less than he deserves just to stay in Cincinnati. If that’s what he wants to do, power to him, but it shouldn’t be an outside expectation.

Johnson isn’t the first former star Bengals receiver to share some advice for Higgins. A.J. Green also added his two cents recently, and his opinion varied greatly from Johnson’s, as Green doesn’t think Higgins shouldn’t be too eager to walk away from a good situation — and a great quarterback — in Cincinnati.

“He has a great quarterback,” Green said. “And you find a great quarterback to play with, I’m telling you, better stick with him.”

It’s true that Higgins likely won’t be playing with a quarterback as good as Joe Burrow if he leaves Cincinnati. But, is quality quarterback play more important than maximizing his money? That’s a question that only Higgins can answer, and something he’ll have to decide in the near future.