Patriots' Chances for Dream Free Agency Target All But Gone

The New England Patriots may not have a shot at their dream free agent target after all.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) runs on the field as he’s introduced before the first quarter of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the past month, the number of connections between the New England Patriots and Tee Higgins have been off the charts. He has been by far their biggest suggested free agency target.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the Patriots won't even end up getting a chance to pursue him.

According to a report from James Rapien of Bengals on SI, Higgins expected to receive the franchise tag from the Cincinnati Bengals for the second year in a row. That would stop him from testing the market.

Sources: The Bengals' plan to use the franchise tag on Tee Higgins. Here's what it means for a long-term deal, when it could happen and other details that we have on the star wide receiver⬇️https://t.co/TdLrFWc6Bn

— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) February 17, 2025

Needless to say, this would be a massive disappointment for New England. Higgins would have been a perfect long-term target for young franchise quarterback Drake Maye.

While it's a disappointment for the Patriots, it makes a lot of sense for the Bengals. Keeping him away from the open market should be a priority. The hope for them would be that they can come to an agreement on a long-term deal with him.

Nothing is ever set in stone until it actually happens. However, Rapien is very well connected in Cincinnati.

Higgins being unavailable would make New England get creative. There are still some wide receiver options they could pursue. A few of those names are Chris Godwin, DK Metcalf, Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, and more. They could also simply try to bring in a key piece in the 2025 NFL Draft.

This news has made the Patriots' upcoming offseason even more intriguing. They need to find a better supporting cast for Maye. It will be interesting to see how they make that happen.

All of the talk about how badly Bengals players wanted Higgins back made this news relatively unsurprising. Him staying with Cincinnati had started seeming like the most likely scenario.

Now, it's time for New England to start making other plans. There are plenty of options. Fans will just have to wait and see which option they pursue.

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