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.