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NFL analyst Mina Kimes thinks Patriots should be checking with Bengals over possible Tee Higgins trade
"There is great need on a number of teams that have a lot of cap space," Kimes said of wide receivers in the NFL offseason.
Tee Higgins and the Patriots: The Patriots‘ need at wide receiver — among many other positions — is one of the team’s major focuses as what looks to be a pivotal offseason ramps up.
On that topic, Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has been identified for months as the highest-profile potential free agent target for New England. Adding the talented 26-year-old would help open up the offense for quarterback Drake Maye.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, those plans took a major hit when the Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins on Monday.
Still, the dream of Higgins coming to New England isn’t completely extinguished, given Cincinnati’s salary cap issues.
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During an ESPN “NFL Live” segment on Monday, reporter Adam Schefter said that Higgins and the Bengals’ front office has “intent to work toward a long-term deal,” but that it remained “not close.”
“On the open market, Tee Higgins would command north of $30 million a year,” Schefter explained. “The franchise tag number right now is $26.2 [million], so clearly there is work to be done between the two sides.”
And just because Higgins is technically under contract with the Bengals once again, ESPN analysts pointed out that the rest of the roster requires attention. Given the wide variety of needs — and other high-profile players who will require long-term deals — the door to trade Higgins might still be open.
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“Does it become an opportunity where they trade him?” asked ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky. “And now he just doesn’t walk out of that building, but they can use that franchise tag as a way to give a team an opportunity to put together a package that they want to use to trade for Tee Higgins and then sign him, because I just don’t see how Cincinnati can sign Tee Higgins, Trey Hendrickson, and Ja’Marr Chase, and field any type of competitive football team moving forward.”
Fellow NFL analyst Mina Kimes concurred with Orlovsky.
“Every position is one that they have to get better at on defense,” said Kimes of Cincinnati, which ranked 25th in both yards and points allowed.
“There is great need on a number of teams that have a lot of cap space,” Kimes noted in what appeared to be an obvious allusion to the Patriots.
“With Higgins off the market, if Chris Godwin were to stay in Tampa, it’s not a great group of receivers,” she continued.
“It’s not a particularly great receiver draft, so if I’m a team like the Patriots, the Commanders, the Chargers, I’m calling if it’s a possibility. I’m not saying it’s going to get done, just calling to see if there’s a possibility.”
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The new league year officially begins for NFL teams on March 12, signaling when trades and free agent signings can be formalized.
If added, Higgins would immediately become the Patriots’ No. 1 wide receiver. In 2024, he caught 73 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns. New England’s most recent leading receiver was Demario Douglas, who hauled in 66 catches for 621 yards and three scores last season.
Trivia: Tee Higgins is tied for the all-time record for touchdown receptions with the Clemson Tigers at 27. Name the other two players he’s tied with.
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: Both were first-round picks. One was picked in 2013 by the Texans, the other in 2014 by the Bills.
Scores and schedules:
Tonight, the Bruins host the Predators at 7 p.m.
The Celtics are back tomorrow at home against the Trail Blazers at 7 p.m.
The Boston Fleet will also be in action on Wednesday against the New York Sirens at the Tsongas Center at 7 p.m.
Later today, the Red Sox play the Pirates in a spring training game at 1:05 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
- New NFL mock draft has Patriots taking tackle at No. 4 — and it’s not Will Campbell
- Weighing the pros and cons of the Bruins trading Brad Marchand
- How will Patriots pivot after Bengals franchise tag Tee Higgins?
- Mike Vrabel weighs in from the NFL Combine on Travis Hunter, Drake Maye
- Celtics’ strategy against Nuggets star could be taken as ‘sign of disrespect’, coach says
- Former No. 1 overall pick says Patriots should trade up so they don’t miss out on Travis Hunter
- Joe Mazzulla praises new HBO Celtics documentary for bringing ‘amazing perspective’
- Flames have reportedly reached out to Bruins about Brandon Carlo trade
- Aaron Rodgers’ next destination and Myles Garrett’s future headlined the buzz from the NFL combine
Stevan Ridley and Julian Edelman looking back on the Letterman Jacket Game: The former Patriots running back reflected on one of the more notable regular seasons wins from that era of New England football.
Sign(s) of the times: The sons of Manny Ramirez and Andre Agassi faced off in a World Baseball Classic matchup.
Lucas Ramirez (son of Manny) gets a hit off Jaden Agassi (son of Andre and Steffi Graf) in @WBCBaseball action! pic.twitter.com/w8AsbJEStV
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 3, 2025
On this day: In 1944, the Bruins won an absolute shootout against the Rangers 10-9. Bill Cowley led Boston with four goals and two assists. Somehow this wasn’t a record for highest scoring NHL game, instead tying for third. The record remains 21 combined goals, achieved most recently in a 12-9 Oilers win over the Blackhawks in 1985 in which Wayne Gretzky notched seven assists.
Daily highlight: Jacqueline Ovalle scored a goal of the year contender for Tigres UANL on Monday in a 2-0 win over Guadalajara.
La locura de gol de @lizbethovalle7.
— Club Tigres Femenil 🐯 (@TigresFemenil) March 4, 2025
Hey @fifacom_es te tenemos una nominada al premio Puskás. pic.twitter.com/TQIcKXK499
Trivia answer: Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins
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