Patriots’ Passing Game Gets a Boost: Tee Higgins Could Be the perfect Addition for Drake Maye
The New England Patriots appear poised to make a major play for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in free agency, with The Athletic’s Chad Graff reporting they’re “going to be all in” on the talented wideout.
“I expect them to offer him the moon,” Graff wrote on December 9. “If they offer Higgins more than anyone else and pair him with Maye, maybe that overcomes being in a rebuild in a cold-weather market.”
Given their massive cap space, the Patriots’ interest makes perfect strategic sense—projected at over $132 million for 2025, the most in the NFL—and their need to surround rookie quarterback Drake Maye with elite weapons. Maye has shown promise in his first season, completing 67.2% of his passes for 1,696 yards and 11 touchdowns across nine games, but lacks a true number one receiver.
Higgins, who turns 26 in January, would fill that void perfectly. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound target has proven himself as a consistent playmaker since being drafted in the second round in 2020, recording back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2021 and 2022. While injuries have limited his production in recent years—45 catches for 581 yards and five touchdowns in eight games this season—his talent remains undeniable.
However, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow isn’t ready to let his teammate walk. “I know that I’m going to do what it takes to get him back and so is he,” Burrow said recently, via ESPN’s Ben Baby. “We’ve had those talks. Those are going to be offseason discussions. But I think we’re excited about that opportunity.”
That said, recent developments could impact Higgins’ free agency plans, as the Cincinnati Enquirer reports he has parted ways with agent David Mulugheta. This is noteworthy since the Bengals have never completed a long-term deal with a Mulugheta client, including former safety Jessie Bates.
With Higgins’ market value projected around $19 million annually by Spotrac, the Patriots certainly have the financial means to make a compelling offer. The question remains whether the opportunity to be a true WR1—something he hasn’t experienced playing alongside Ja’Marr Chase in Cincinnati—plus a massive contract will be enough to lure him to Foxborough.
