The New England Patriots stood pat during the NFL Draft, selecting quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick, and spent much of the weekend bolstering the young talent at receiver, but might not be done upgrading the rookie’s supporting cast.
New England emerged from the draft with former University of Washington standout Ja’Lynn Polk, and UCF’s Javon Baker alongside Maye, who are each capable of stretching the field.
However, given that the Patriots now have a rookie quarterback on an affordable contract and are turning the page to a new era with head coach Jerod Mayo leading the charge, New England just might look to add some star power to Maye’s arsenal to help accelerate his development and close the gap on the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets in the division.
New England Patriots an Ideal Tee Higgins Fit?
Since Bengals star wide receiver Tee Higgins requested a trade, the Patriots could make a fascinating fit.
After all, the Patriots currently have a league-high $38.9 million in cap space for the 2024 season, $196.13 million in 2025, representing the most cap space in the league, and a whopping NFL-high $397.4 million in 2026.
So, spending flexibility under the cap wouldn’t be a hurdle to a potential Higgins blockbuster, and, 25-year-old would play out the prime of his career potentially as Maye’s favorite target with two rising receivers alongside him.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Bachar points out that the Patriots are an ideal fit for Higgins.
“While the Patriots drafted wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round,” Bachar writes. “As well as wideout Javon Baker in the fourth round, they don’t have an established receiver such as Higgins on the roster heading into the 2024 season.
“With Maye on a rookie contract, New England could continue to build around him by acquiring the Bengals’ standout receiver.”
Last season, Bengals quarterbacks posted a strong 103.2 passer rating when targeting Higgins, who caught 42 passes for 656 yards and five touchdowns. That kind of consistent production could work wonders for Maye.
What Would a Patriots-Bengals Higgins Trade Look Like?
It remains to be seen if the Bengals will even deal Higgins, but, the Patriots could make sense as a trade partner for a number of reasons.
New England is unlikely to become an overnight contender, so any draft picks acquired would be likely near the top of the round. Likewise, if the Bengals believe the window to win a Super Bowl around Joe Burrow will be at its widest for the next three years, it would seem unlikely they’d need to get through Higgins en route to a Super Bowl over that time.
Here’s what a possible Higgins trade might look like:
New England Patriots trade: 2025 2nd-Round Pick, 2025 4th-Round Pick
Cincinnati Bengals Trade: Tee Higgins, 2025 5th-Round Pick
The Bengals seemingly have minimal leverage in any potential Higgins trade, and given that the Patriots may be picking near the top of Round 2, combined with the opportunity to move up from the fifth-round to have a pair of fourth-round picks next spring may be appealing for the Bengals to do a deal.
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