Grading aggressive Patriots-Bengals trade to bring Tee Higgins to New England

The New England Patriots struck gold in the NFL Draft, selecting QB Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick and landing his new No. 1 target, WR Ja'Lynn Polk, in the second round. Now, it's a matter of fleshing out the roster around that new core. New England's future is exceedingly uncertain with first-time head coach Jerod Mayo in charge, but the foundation for success is in place.

That said, one position of imminent need for the Pats is (still) wide receiver. Polk is a fine option, but rookie wideouts are hardly a safe bet, and New England needs more than one solid pass-catcher for Maye (or Jacoby Brissett) to throw to. DeMario Douglas shined as a rookie, and Kendrick Bourne gets the job done, but New England doesn't have a traditional WR1 to lead the pass-catching corps.

We have heard names like Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel tossed around as the San Francisco 49ers mull a makeover, but perhaps a more realistic target is Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins. With Ja'Marr Chase due for a lucrative extension in the near future, Higgins — in the final year of his contract with a $21.8 million cap hit — is up for grabs. Higgins recently requested a trade after the Bengals franchise-tagged him without engaging in long-term extension talks.

The Pats have the ammo to get a deal done, and Bleacher Report's Alex Kay has a framework laid out.

Patriots-Bengals trade to pair Tee Higgins with Drake Maye in New England

This is a rather simple trade. New England coughs up a potentially valuable draft asset in exchange for a top-notch wide receiver. Higgins has operated in Ja'Marr Chase's shadow in the explosive Bengals offense, but he's more than ready to handle WR1 duties on a lesser team. He was great last season despite the myriad injuries Cincy faced, notching 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns in 12 appearances. He missed five games, was the No. 2 option for a beat-up Bengals offense, and still out-gained every New England receiver in 2023.

Higgins is a tall, twitchy wideout at 6-foot-4. He can beat defenses over the top with his speed and make contested catches in traffic. He averaged 15.6 yards per catch last season and averages 14.3 for his career. The Patriots' current WR room lacks big-play options, as even the rookie Polk is geared toward intermediate routes and pressure-release duties around the line of scrimmage.

The Patriots essentially pay more for Higgins than the Houston Texans did for Stefon Diggs, which could cause a stir in some circles. Notably, however, Diggs is five years older than Higgins. His resumé doesn't stack up with other top wideouts yet, but Higgins has a chance to blossom in the years to come. New England would be acquiring a player worthy of long-term investment, rather than an aging vet in the vein of Diggs or the aforementioned Deebo.

It's ultimately up to Cincinnati, but Higgins is already making life uncomfortable on the Bengals. He's just not getting paid in that offense, as there's too much talent around him and Joe Burrow occupies too prominent a cap slot. That being said, several NFL front offices are on the prowl. New England might have to pay a premium, and at the end of the day, this trade is hard to argue with from either side.

Patriots grade: A-

Bengals grade: B