With free agency looming and the Patriots having the fortune of the most cap space available to use, the hyper fixation on the best possible players they can sign to immediately improve their roster, with most of the focus on the offense. Because Drake Maye appears to be the future of the franchise as the starting quarterback, the consensus wants him to have the weaponry to put on a master class during the 2025 season, something he wasn't able to do as a rookie.
That has led to fans wanting the new regime led by Mike Vrabel to make a big-time signing of a top-name wide receiver or even make a blockbuster trade, no matter how unrealistic it might be. The main character in all of this has continued to be Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, who has been connected to the Patriots for the past two years.
He is expected to become a free agent for the first time in his career this offseason and is looking for a top-of-the-line contract, something that the Bengals might not be able to provide. They are currently strapped for cap space and will only get tighter with Ja'Marr Chase looking for his first contract extension, as well.
Because of that, it seems Higgins will inevitably play for a new team in 2025. However, Burrow's latest take on the situation puts that in doubt, which is a horrible update for the Patriots.
Joe Burrow adds another knock on the Patriots likely pursuit of Tee Higgins this offseason
During an appearance on FS1's "Breakfast Ball" on Thursday, the Bengals quarterback was (of course) asked about the impending free agency and how that will ultimately impact his offense moving forward, with the emphasis being on the potential departure of Higgins.
Burrow made it clear that he is willing to restructure his massive contract in order to help get the deals done that he wants to see, which includes keeping Higgins and others, all of whom, he claims, want to remain in Cincinnati.
Joe Burrow says he’d "of course" restructure his contract to keep the Bengals' core together, and he has faith in the Bengals' ownership 🙌
— Breakfast Ball (@BrkfstBallOnFS1) February 6, 2025
"I do. We have the cap space to get it done. Trey, Tee, Ja'Marr, and Mike G – we all want to play together." pic.twitter.com/F4YFMSo5pA
Read More: New rumor steamrolls Patriots' expected approach to 2025 free agency
That's not exactly the kind of update you want to hear as a Patriots fan, no matter if Burrow is just answering in support of his team or not. It makes sense why Higgins would want to remain with the team that drafted him, with one of the league's top quarterbacks, and a team that has been consistently a Super Bowl contender for the last few years.
However, throughout the 2024 offseason, the Bengals showed that they didn't necessarily feel the same way about keeping him around long-term, as they chose to franchise tag him instead of getting an extension done. On top of that, they reportedly wouldn't even entertain the conversation of a new contract, which led to Higgins demanding a trade twice before the season began.
If he hopes to get paid or wants to be a WR1 on a team, staying in Cincinnati is not the place to do that. But New England is.
They have the funds to make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the league, and he would immediately become the top guy for Maye to work with. They might not be a team that will immediately compete for a Lombardi Trophy, but that isn't always the most important criteria a player is looking for when seeking a new contract.
More often than not, it comes down to getting paid, which makes the Patriots a great place to sign with.