The New England Patriots can officially cross Tee Higgins off their list of potential free-agent wide receiver targets.
On Monday, the Cincinnati Bengals placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Higgins to prevent the star wideout from becoming an unrestricted free agent. The tag, placed on Higgins for the second consecutive offseason, is worth roughly $26 million.
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According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Bengals will look to sign Higgins to a long-term deal. That will be tricky with their No. 1 receiver Ja'Marr Chase in line for a massive contract extension after a historic 2024 campaign.
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Teams may still negotiate a long-term contract with Higgins, though acquiring him would cost two first-round draft picks if Cincinnati didn't match the deal. If the Bengals look to trade the 26-year-old, MassLive.com's Mark Daniels reports the Patriots would be interested.
If New England is out of the Higgins sweepstakes, it can still upgrade its receiver room with one of the top free-agent options. Our Patriots Insider Phil Perry reports that Chris Godwin is a possibility for the Patriots if he doesn't stay in Tampa Bay.
If both Higgins and Godwin are off the table, the team could shift its focus to the trade market. The Los Angeles Rams intend to trade veteran Cooper Kupp this offseason, and the Patriots also may kick the tires on Seattle's DK Metcalf, San Francisco's Brandon Aiyuk and Las Vegas' Jakobi Meyers, per Perry.
Whether it's via free agency or trade, the Patriots must overhaul their wide receiving corps this spring. They ranked dead-last in the NFL in receiving yards (3,343) and second-to-last in touchdowns (18).
