The New England Patriots have a lot of holes to fill this offseason. The first and only year under Jarod Mayo did not go as planned, as New England was one of the worst teams in the league with a 4-13 record.
With the team building around quarterback Drake Maye, the Patriots need to get him proper receiving weapons this offseason in order to enhance the offense in 2025. New England had the fewest total passing yards in the NFL this past season at just 2,994. Thankfully, they have plenty of cap space (projected $120 million per Over The Cap) and could shop at the top of the free agency market for a playmaker.
The Patriots could pursue Tee Higgins to transform their offense
New England will be picking fourth in this year’s NFL Draft, where they could be in the running for Heisman Trophy winner and WR/CB Travis Hunter. However, even if they select Hunter, they still need more weapons in order to truly transform the offense in Maye’s sophomore season.
That’s where the open market will come into play. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins makes perfect sense for them as a splashy free-agent signing. Higgins has spent his first five seasons with the Bengals and could hit the open market after the two sides couldn’t agree on an extension during the regular season.
Higgins, 26, appeared in 12 games this past season with Cincinnati and recorded 73 receptions on 109 targets for 911 receiving yards. He also scored a career-high 10 touchdowns.
Higgins would give Drake Maye a much-needed deep threat
The Patriots lacked a true playmaking receiver who could make big plays last season. Higgins could change that, as he is a top playmaker in the league who is a well-known deep threat. For his career, he averages 13.9 yards per reception and is coming off of a season in which he averaged 75.9 yards per game, just two yards short of his career-high mark.
Of course, Higgins will not come cheap, and there will be a ton of competition for him from teams that need a top receiver. Higgins could command a contract worth more than $25 million, even nearing $30 million per season in free agency.
Teams are going to be willing to pay up for his services given the potential he has to be an elite WR1.
The offseason is just getting started, and Higgins’ free agency could have big implications on the draft as well as other teams’ moves.
The Patriots are one of the favorites to sign Higgins, but will need to be willing to fork over a serious amount of money to land the prized free agent.
