A Patriots-Bengals trade to revive old rumors at less cost for New England

The New England Patriots' dearth of quality wide receivers is well documented. It's hard to develop a young QB, no matter how talented, without decent personnel around him. The Pats harbor one of the NFL's worst offensive lines and don't have a single proven No. 1 target. Even their RB depth chart underwhelms, as Rhamondre Stevenson struggled to stand apart from an aging Ezekiel Elliott last season.

It will take more than what any single player can provide for New England to turn this ship around. Jerod Mayo may or may not be a great coach, but he is completely unproven. He doesn't even have coordinator experience and he's plucked straight from the Bill Belichick tree, which has not always meant success for other coaches around the league.

With so much uncertainty plaguing the franchise, it would behoove the Patriots to trade for some certainty, even if it doesn't translate immediately to wins next season. A solid, bankable wide receiver will help Drake Maye's progression, ease the burden on New England's other up-and-coming wideouts, and put a clear No. 1 option in the playbook for new OC Alex Van Pelt.

Brandon Aiyuk has been the talk of the town — of the entire northeast, honestly — all offseason. He has officially requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers now after extension talks stalled. In addition to New England, he has been connected to the Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots would face stiff competition to acquire the 25-year-old, who will turn around and demand $30 million-plus on his next contract.

That's a suitable option for the Pats, who can afford to splurge on Aiyuk's salary while the rest of their core toils on rookie contracts and below-market deals. But, if New England is spooked by the collective price of acquiring Aiyuk, another, less expensive alternative comes highly recommended. And we've heard his name connected to New England before.

Enter Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins.

Patriots-Bengals trade to pair Tee Higgins and Drake Maye in Foxboro

Over at Bleacher Report, Kristopher Knox believes the going price for Tee Higgins is a 2025 second-round pick. New England can offer a particularly appealing second-round pick, with potential to land in that coveted 33-40 range. We can flatly assume New England finishes near the bottom of the AFC standings next season.

He's not on the same level as Aiyuk, but Higgins has been a dangerous weapon for Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense since his arrival in 2020. A second-round pick himself out of Clemson, Higgins appeared in 12 games (11 starts) last season, reeling in 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns. That's a healthy 15.6 yards per catch, a new career-high.

Standing 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, Higgins has ideal physical tools for the position. He's strong, explosive, and physical, capable of winning 50-50 balls, breaking tackles, and handling his duties as a blocker when called upon. He served admirably as the No. 2 wideout next to Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd in Cincy. With New England, Higgins would have expanded opportunities as the obvious top target.

He went through Monday's deadline without an extension from Cincinnati, so Higgins will play out next season on an expiring contract. There is inherent risk to that setup for New England, but so long as the Patriots are prepared to hammer out a deal once the offseason arrives, Higgins should be amenable to sticking around long term. Especially once he's had a taste of being the featured option in an NFL offense, no matter how rocky the road is for New England in 2024.

The Bengals shed the financial burden of another expensive wideout next to Ja'Marr Chase and preserve some flexibility. Odds are a first or second-round pick next spring would be allocated to the wide receiver position. In a sense, the Bengals might be trading for Higgins' replacement here.

This is a trade worth considering for both sides, as the Bengals risk losing Higgins for nothing if he makes it to the end of next season with orange and black stripes on his helmet.