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One top Patriots free-agent target could be off the board soon
Tee Higgins has reeled in 24 touchdowns over his four seasons in the NFL.
It remains to be seen what the Patriots will do this offseason when it comes to reviving a putrid offense that tied for last in the NFL in scoring at 13.9 points per game in 2023.
But regardless of whether or not New England targets a QB like Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels in the 2024 NFL Draft, one thing is clear. This Patriots roster is more than just one playmaker away from contending.
Even if New England uses its coveted first-round pick on a quarterback, the Patriots do have plenty of fiscal flexibility to add weapons this offseason. According to OverTheCap.com, New England has the third-most cap space in the NFL this spring at $66,032,006.
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But even with all that spending power on hand, one of the most appealing targets on the free-agent market may not even be available for New England when free agency begins on March 13.
According to The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr., “the writing is on the wall and all expectations are” that the Bengals will franchise tag wide receiver Tee Higgins before the March 5 deadline.
That’d be bad news for the Patriots, as Higgins would be an ideal pickup for a team devoid of talent on the outside.
The 25-year-old pass catcher already has two 1,000-yard seasons on his resume in 2021 and 2022 as one of Joe Burrow’s most dependable targets. Higgins appeared in 12 games for Cincinnati in 2023, reeling in 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns in a year where Burrow only played in 10 games due to several injuries.
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Even though Higgins serves more as a WR2 option with the Bengals behind Ja’Marr Chase, he is an ideal “X” receiver in today’s NFL — capable of snagging deep balls down the sideline and winning 1-on-1 battles against defensive backs thanks to his 6-foot-4, 219-pound frame.
A franchise tag for Higgins stands as a one-year guaranteed contract offer sheet that he can choose to sign for $20.7 million. Even though Higgins is still free to negotiate with other teams, the Bengals have the ability to match any offer sent to him — and would receive two first-round picks as compensation if they didn’t.
Franchise tags can open the door for trades, however. The Packers franchise tagged Davante Adams in March 2022, but then traded him to the Raiders just a week later.
Of course, New England would prefer a path where it didn’t have to both give up valuable draft assets and then sign Higgins to a long-term deal.
But the Patriots can also pivot to other free-agent receiver targets this spring, including Tampa’s Mike Evans and Jacksonville’s Calvin Ridley.
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