NFL free agency isn't always the best place for teams to address glaring roster weaknesses. Spending huge amounts of money (especially guaranteed money) on free agents has the potential to backfire.
But the New England Patriots need to make a splash in free agency in March. They have an abundance of roster needs on both sides of the ball, and they are projected to have the most money to spend of any team -- around $120 million in salary cap space, per OverTheCap.
The most important need for the Patriots to fill in the coming months is arguably wide receiver. A lack of elite talent at this position is holding back the team's offense in a profound way.
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The last time the Patriots had a wideout tally 1,000 or more receiving yards in a single season was Julian Edelman in 2019. Kendrick Bourne is the only Patriots wide receiver to tally more than four receiving touchdowns in a season over the last five years. DeMario Douglas led all Patriots receivers with 621 yards this past season, and he led the group in 2023 with just 561 yards.
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It's time for the Patriots to be aggressive in their search for a true difference-maker at wide receiver, and luckily for them, a No. 1 wideout could hit free agency in March.
Tee Higgins.
It's possible the Cincinnati Bengals could re-sign Higgins or franchise tag him before the start of free agency, but if he does hit the open market, New England needs to be in the mix.
Higgins averaged 6.2 receptions and 81.4 yards per game, with a total of seven touchdowns, over the Bengals' last seven games, during which they went 5-2. His best performance came in a must-win Week 17 battle versus the Denver Broncos during which he caught 11 passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning score in overtime.
TEE HIGGINS' THIRD TOUCHDOWN OF THE GAME TO BEAT DENVER IN OT 🔥
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 29, 2024
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/ZnP1RWP59d
Higgins finished the season with 73 receptions for 911 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns. Pro Football Focus gave him the sixth-highest grade (88.2/100) among wideouts for the whole season.
Higgins has caught at least 73 passes with 911-plus yards and six-plus touchdowns in three of the last four seasons. And this production has come alongside Bengals teammate Ja'Marr Chase, who is arguably the best wide receiver in the sport and gets a ton of targets each week.
Chase is seen as the No. 1 in Cincinnati, and rightfully so, but Higgins could definitely be that kind of player on his own team.
"What you're banking on if you're the Patriots, or another team that's going to be investing a significant amount of money in this guy if/when he becomes available, you're hoping he reverts to when he's been at his best," NBC Sports Boston's Patriots insider Phil Perry said about Higgins on an episode of the Next Pats Podcast in December. "He's averaging six receptions and over 100 yards per game when Ja'Marr Chase doesn't play.
"He is still an extremely talented, 6-foot-4 and 219-pound wide receiver. And yes, maybe his route tree is limited, but the routes he runs, especially for the Patriots -- who haven't had an outside the numbers, down field threat in years -- those routes are incredibly valuable."
🔊 Next Pats Podcast: Why Tee Higgins has to be THE PRIORITY for the Patriots | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
Higgins is able to excel all over the field, whether that's outside the numbers and toward the sideline, over the middle, in the red zone, on key third downs -- he is productive pretty much anywhere. He can even line up in the slot.
He has the hands and size (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) to win the majority of the contested balls thrown his way.
Burrow to Higgins AGAIN.
— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2024
Bengals re-take the lead.
📺: #DENvsCIN on NFL Network
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/UejCeEE24g
Higgins also has the speed, quickness and separation ability to beat cornerbacks deep down field.
BURROW TO HIGGINS.
— NFL (@NFL) November 18, 2024
BENGALS NOT DONE.
📺: #CINvsLAC on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/HNgJW672DJ
Another reason to pursue Higgins is his age. He's only 26 years old. And if you look at the other top wide receivers who could test free agency, he's the youngest one:
- Tee Higgins: 26 years old
- Marquise Brown: 27
- Chris Godwin: 28
- Amari Cooper: 30
- Stefon Diggs: 31
- Brandin Cooks: 31
- Keenan Allen: 32
- DeAndre Hopkins: 32
Many of Higgins' best years should be ahead of him, given his age and previous production.
Pursuing Higgins would obviously be an expensive endeavor.
Pro Football Focus recently released their contract projections for the top free agents, and the projection for Higgins was four years, $112 million ($67 million guaranteed). It's only a projection, but it shows the kind of commitment the Patriots might need to make to have a real chance at landing Higgins, assuming he makes it to free agency.
The only concern with Higgins, and it's not a huge one, is durability. He has missed five games in each of the last two seasons due to injuries. He dealt with hamstring and quad injuries in 2024.
But when you look at the combination of Higgins' talent, production, size, speed and age, it's clear that he would significantly upgrade New England's offense as a legit No. 1 wide receiver.
A major focus for the Patriots during the offseason needs to be surrounding quarterback Drake Maye with elite talent on offense. Adding a star wideout of Higgins' caliber would be a huge step toward accomplishing that objective.