With the Eagles' Super Bowl win against the Chiefs on Sunday marking the end of the NFL season, all eyes now turn to the offseason, most importantly the NFL Draft and free agency.
The New England Patriots have a lot of work to do when it comes to remodeling the roster ahead of next season, and a top priority should be finding a reliable number one receiver to accompany Drake Maye.
Potential options have started to present themselves for the Patriots, such as the LA Rams shopping Cooper Kupp, or Deebo Samuel seeking a trade from the 49ers.
In a recent development from NFL.com's Coral Smith, the top free agent wideout spoke about his situation, whether it's staying in Cincinnati or finding a new home in the offseason.
Patriots News: Tee Higgins Speaks on Free Agency Situation
Higgins, who turned 26 in January, is the top free agent target at the wide receiver position. Coming off a season where he totaled 73 receptions, 911 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns in just 12 games, Higgins will be looking for a big payday wherever he chooses to sign.
Bengals' Tee Higgins on impending free agency: "It's not in my hands right now. So I gotta do what I need to do, and if that's go to another team, that's what happens."https://t.co/YJCB22L9SL pic.twitter.com/i2WnJ1Hvkr
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) February 10, 2025
It's not often you find a team that has two WR1s on their roster, but Cincinnati has had that luxury over the past couple of years with triple-crown winner Ja'Marr Chase and Higgins.
While Higgins acknowledged his Bengals teammates and his potential future with Cincinnati, he said he understood that the decision is not his to make and pointed to the Bengals front office having control over his situation as a pending free agent.
Joe Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million dollar extension with Bengals in 2023, and Chase seeks a monumental contract extension from Cincinnati in 2025. As Cincinnati is planning to allocate a great amount of money to those two players moving forward, other teams could offer more money to Higgins, like the New England Patriots.
New England heads into free agency with the most cap space in the league, the No.4 pick in the NFL Draft, and a potential franchise QB under center. They should be willing to meet Higgins' contract demands and bring a WR1 talent into a room that desperately needs it.
Higgins has often played in the shadow of Ja'Marr Chase in Cincinnati. He would undoubtedly be the number-one option for Drake Maye as this Patriots team looks to rebound after a 4-13 season.
As New England could acquire receiver help in other ways, such as the draft or via trade, signing Higgins would benefit the Patriots offense the most given his age and ability. It could also be the most challenging move, as there will be a competitive market for the Oak Ridge, Tennessee native.