Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase recently sat down with Kay Adams on Up and Adams, and the conversation took an intriguing turn when they were asked which defensive player they’d love to see suit up in Bengals stripes. Their answers? Two of the most disruptive forces in the NFL trenches - Jeffery Simmons and Maxx Crosby.
Let’s start with Higgins’ pick: Jeffery Simmons, the Tennessee Titans' interior wrecking ball. Higgins didn’t hesitate in naming Simmons, and it’s easy to see why.
Simmons is the kind of player who can tilt the line of scrimmage all by himself. He led all defensive tackles last season in pass rush grade (90.9), sacks (9), and pass rush win rate (19.3%).
That’s not just elite - that’s game-wrecking production from a position that often flies under the radar.
Now, bringing Simmons to Cincinnati would be a dream scenario for any defense, but it’s also a complex one. He’s under contract with Tennessee, and there’s been no indication the Titans are actively shopping him.
A player of his caliber wouldn’t come cheap - we’re likely talking multiple high-end draft picks just to get the Titans to pick up the phone. Still, it’s a fun thought experiment: imagine Simmons lining up next to DJ Reader or B.J.
Hill, giving the Bengals a dominant interior duo that could collapse pockets and free up the edge rushers to feast.
Then there’s Ja’Marr Chase’s pick - and this one might be a little more realistic. Chase said he’d love to see Maxx Crosby join the Bengals, and given recent developments, that’s a name worth watching. Crosby has been vocal about his uncertain future with the Raiders, and while he’s still under contract, the door isn’t completely shut on a potential move.
Crosby is a relentless edge rusher with a motor that doesn’t quit. He’s piled up 69.5 career sacks, including 10 last season alone.
At 28 years old, he’s in his prime and would instantly elevate any pass rush. If the Bengals were to seriously pursue him, the starting point in trade talks would likely be the 10th overall pick - and that’s just to get the conversation going.
Adding Crosby to the Bengals' defense would be a statement move. Pair him with Trey Hendrickson on the opposite edge, and suddenly you’ve got a pass-rushing tandem that could go toe-to-toe with any offensive line in the league. That kind of pressure changes games - and in the AFC, where quarterbacks rule the landscape, it could be the difference between a playoff run and a Super Bowl push.
Of course, these are just wish-list picks from two of the Bengals’ brightest stars. But what makes their answers so compelling is that they didn’t just throw out names - they identified players who could genuinely transform the defense. Higgins and Chase know what it takes to win at the highest level, and they’re clearly thinking about how to get there.
Whether or not Cincinnati makes a move for a big-name defender this offseason remains to be seen. But if the Bengals’ front office is listening, they just got a pretty clear message from two of their cornerstone players: go get us a difference-maker on defense.