Finding a clear cut number one receiver for your offense is not an easy feat for any team in the NFL, let alone the Patriots. That caliber of player has appeared to evade them in recent years, especially since Julian Edelman chose to retire after the 2020 season.
It didn't help that Bill Belichick struck out more often than not when drafting receivers over the years, on top of making mistake after mistake with the free agents he chose to sign, too.
That has led them to being in the same position this offseason, making some of the top names set to hit free agency as their primary targets. The hope has long been they would be fortunate enough to sign Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, as he has been connected to the team for the past two seasons, only for him to likely be franchise tagged before free agency even begins.
That is what Cincinnati's plan reportedly is as they intend to reach an extension agreement to keep Higgins around long-term, seemingly removing him from the Patriots shortlist of players to go all out for.
However, in a possible weird twist of fate, the latest update from the Bengals doesn't necessarily imply that will be possible, or at the very least, easy to make happen.
The Bengals focus on Ja'Marr Chase could provide an open door for the Patriots to trade for Tee Higgins
With many head coaches and general managers speaking to reporters at the NFL Combine this week, there will inevitably be a lot of headlines to come.
The latest of which comes from Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin, who emphasized the team's desire to make Chase the highest paid player in the NFL besides quarterbacks, seeming to imply he is their primary focus this offseason.
Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin said Cincinnati is preparing to make WR Ja’Marr Chase the highest-paid non-QB in the NFL. “We’re going to reward Ja’Marr,” Tobin told reporters today at the Indianapolis scouting combine. pic.twitter.com/29DsBGEzy9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 25, 2025
Related: Increasing pessimism around Tee Higgins' extension a big plus for the Patriots
That doesn't bode well for Higgins, who has been hoping for an extension for the past few years. Because that didn't get done last offseason, he requested a trade twice, which ultimately did not happen.
So he was ready to hit free agency this year, only to probably be franchise tagged again. If that happens, he will be guaranteed over $26 million for the 2025 season, which is currently more than half the cap space the Bengals have before making any moves to create more.
But based on Tobin's latest comments, prioritizing Chase doesn't seem like there will be much left on the table to pay Higgins, who they don't view as their WR1. That wouldn't be a problem in New England with the amount of money they could pay him, and he would be worth every penny.
If the Bengals continue this approach, it's possible they either don't franchise tag him and let him walk in free agency or tag him and force him to play without an extension, neither of which is ideal but would be for the Patriots.
It's certainly a story worth following, with free agency right around the corner. Consider how much of a load it would take off the Patriots' shoulders to add him to the offense before going into the draft.