Once it became clear that the Bengals were not going to reach an agreement on a contract extension with receiver Tee Higgins, he became the primary focus of Patriots analysts and fans for the 2025 NFL free agency. He was set to hit the free agent market for the first time in his career and was expected to be the most sought-after pass catcher of the pending group.
The Patriots appeared to be in the best position to land Higgins with their high cap space and desperate need for a receiver of his caliber. That placed him squarely at the top of the list as the most desirable player for this year's free agency, only for the team to get slapped in the face with a harsh reality before it even began.
With the franchise tag deadline nearing, the Bengals decided to place the tag on Higgins for the second year in a row and hope they can take the time allotted to reach a long-term agreement to get an extension done. Because of that, for the time being, he will be off the table for any team who might have been interested in him during free agency, which sadly includes the Patriots.
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
Related: Patriots already eliminated from contention to land top-name receiver
It's a massive blow to what the Patriots' plans were predicted to be, mainly after they had already expressed interest in signing Higgins last season after he requested a trade. Because the Bengals chose not to entertain any trade conversations, he remained on the roster for the 2024 season and looked forward to getting paid this year.
That will be on pause for a while, as the team has until about July to get a deal done to keep in Cincinnati for the foreseeable future.
Fortunately, that doesn't mean he's completely off the table for New England, though.
Tee Higgins being franchise tagged is the worst case scenario for the Patriots, but it's not the end
There is a small chance that the Bengals won't reach an agreement with Higgins to keep him beyond the 2025 season, similar to the problems they've had accomplishing that in the past. It's possibly why they chose to tag him again this year because worst case scenario, they trade him but get something in return instead of letting him walk for nothing.
Most reporters have indicated the willingness from both sides to get a deal done, but there will be roadblocks for the Bengals to overcome in order to reach that point.
The biggest hurdle will be figuring out how they will be able to keep all of their top players on the roster within the limitations of the salary cap. They are due to extend Higgins, but receiver Ja'Marr Chase is right behind him, along with defensive end Trey Hendrickson. In addition to those players, QB Joe Burrow has made it clear he would also like the team to keep TE Mike Gesicki around, which will be another expense they'll have to account for.
It won't be an easy feat, which is one reason why Burrow has already mentioned his willingness to restructure his massive contract if it helps keep his teammates around. However, Chase and Higgins will want to be paid around top dollar for the position, which might create some issues for the team, especially since they both have the same agent now.
Because of that uncertainty, there is a chance the Patriots could make some calls to inquire about a trade for Higgins, as he would presumably be the odd man out of the group. They shouldn't give up on it just because he's been tagged, as prime players like Higgins don't become available too often.
The chance of a trade might be slim, but the Patriots can't afford to sit on their hands and wait for the right guy to fall into their laps. They have the ammunition to get a deal done this year, and with Drake Maye running the offense, they can't continue to avoid the lack of a game-changing receiver much longer.