The Cincinnati Bengals have a tough decision to make this offseason when it comes to wide receiver Tee Higgins, who is set to be a free agent after playing the 2024 season on the franchise tag.
There’s no doubt about Higgins’ talent, but the Bengals are facing a situation in which they have to pay both wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, which could result in Cincinnati letting Higgins walks.
Another possible avenue the Bengals can take is to franchise tag Higgins and then look to trade him. In that scenario, losing Higgins doesn’t hurt as bad because he wouldn’t be walking for nothing.
If the Bengals do indeed take the route of tagging and trading Higgins, Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine wants to see the New England Patriots work out a trade for the two-time 1,000-yard receiver
Ballentine’s proposal sends Higgins to New England in exchange for two draft selections: a 2025 second-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
“Higgins could technically become a free agent and the Patriots would have to take their chances on convincing him to come to New England,” he said. “However, the Bengals have enough money to use the franchise tag on him. Last year, the Chiefs used the franchise tag on L’Jarius Sneed only to wind up trading him to the Tennessee Titans. This would be a virtually identical situation with the Bengals knowing the best way to get something in return for Higgins would be to tag and trade him.
“From there, the Patriots could ink him to an extension that might be cheaper than he would get on the open market,” Ballentine concluded.
After Drake Maye showed a ton of promise during his rookie season, the Patriots are tasked with building the team around him. One of the things the Patriots need to support Maye is a wide receiver. Higgins’ talent is undeniable and he would immediately provide a big upgrade and serve as the team’s No. 1 option.
The biggest concern with Higgins is his injury history, as he’s missed 10 games the past two seasons. However, that doesn’t figure to impact him all that much financially considering he’s the best wide receiver available.
Spotrac estimates Higgins will receive a four-year, $101.7 million deal when he inks a new contract in the near future. The Pats are well-positioned to afford that and then some, as they have a whopping $120 million in salary cap space this offseason, which is the most in the NFL, per Over the Cap.
Ideally, the Patriots would love to hold on to their draft capital and just sign the Bengals wideout in free agency. However, having to trade from him should not deter the Pats from going after Higgins.
