ESPN analyst Mina Kimes explained why Tee Higgins could be a Patriots trade target
The Patriots are one of two teams Kimes specifically cited as possible destinations for the Bengals wide receiver.
The Patriots and Tee Higgins: On Tuesday, the NFL offseason ramped up with the start of negotiations between soon-to-be free agents and prospective suitors. Along with free agent-related news, other offseason subplots began to take shape as well.
One of them was the reported trade request from Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Since many analysts view Higgins as a potential No. 1 wide receiver — he’s been the second option behind Ja’Marr Chase — the 25-year-old could be exactly what the Patriots need to add (among other things).
Earlier in the offseason, Cincinnati opted to use its franchise tag on Higgins, tendering him a one-year offer of approximately $21.8 million (per NFL rules regarding usage of the tag). The Bengals, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, have not engaged in new talks about a potential long-term deal with Higgins, a point which was cited as a reason for his trade request.
Examining which teams could be interested in landing the 6-foot-4 receiver, analyst Mina Kimes pointed in New England’s direction.
“I would look at teams who are maybe either picking near the end of the first round, [or the] beginning of the second,” Kimes said in an “NFL Live” segment on Monday. “Two teams that I really like in that regard are New England and Carolina.
“Both teams with young quarterbacks — assuming New England spends that first pick on a rookie quarterback — who would be helped by having Tee Higgins as their number one wide receiver,” Kimes continued. “[They are] teams that could draft a wide receiver with those picks, but I feel like because of the age of the quarterbacks and the build of the roster, and the fact that they both have cap space, they make sense as destinations for a receiver who has already proved that he can be a number one in the NFL.”
Exactly what a trade for Higgins would cost the Patriots is unknown. Ari Meirov of “The 33rd Team” speculated in late Feb. that it could entail trading either a first-round pick or an early second-round pick. The Patriots, possessing the third overall pick, seem unlikely to trade such a high first-rounder. The deal could potentially revolve around New England’s second-round pick (34th overall), along with additional trade assets.
The other aspect of adding Higgins would be settling his long-term contract situation. As he’s currently valued at $18.6 million per season (by Spotrac), it would represent a significant investment from the Patriots. But as Kimes pointed out, the possible addition of a rookie quarterback would be measurably helped by the presence of a talented and established receiver.
Trivia: Tee Higgins was named first-team All-ACC during his final collegiate season at Clemson before declaring for the NFL Draft. Among the list of fellow first-team All-ACC players on offense from 2019, two of them went to Boston College. Can you name either of those players?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: One was a running back, the other a guard.
Scores and schedules:
On Monday, the Bruins lost to the Blues 5-1 on Monday at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the Trail Blazers on the road, 121-99.
Tonight, the Celtics will play the Jazz in Utah at 9 p.m.
On Wednesday, PWHL Boston will be on the road for matchup against Minnesota at 7 p.m.
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On this day: In 1985, the Celtics defeated the Hawks 126-115. The story was Larry Bird, who set a team record for most points in a game with an astounding 60.
Coming just nine days after Kevin McHale scored 56 against the Pistons, it fulfilled a joking prediction Bird had made.
“Well, it was at home against Detroit and Kevin [McHale] was having a great game where he was scoring a lot of points,” Bird said in a 2020 interview with NBC Sports Boston. “And he had about three or four minutes to go in the game, and we were up by a pretty good margin and he asked the coach to take him out.
“I happened to be standing there and I told him he better go for 60 because 56 is not enough, that will be broken.”
Daily highlight: Salma Paralluelo completed her hat-trick with a bar-down goal off a free kick in Barcelona’s 7-1 win over Real Sociedad.
Trivia answer: A.J. Dillon, John Phillips
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