Patriots Really Wanted This Massive WR Trade

It's no secret that the New England Patriots need a true No. 1 wide receiver to complement their young star quarterback Drake Maye, and they missed their mark in free agency. Davante Adams signed with the Los Angeles Rams, Chris Godwin stayed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Tee Higgins signed an extension with the Cincinnati Bengals. In terms of Higgins, that was the one that got away from the Patriots.

In an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz revealed the Patriots were really hoping to trade for Tee Higgins.

"It’s been a really tough veteran wide receiver market," Schultz said. "They really wanted Tee Higgins. They were in on Chris Godwin. They have been in on a lot of guys but being in on someone and landing them are two very different things."

Schultz adds that with all the veterans remaining on the market, the Patriots need to decide if they want to solely focus on the draft, or add one of the available vets.

"Amari Cooper, Brandin Cooks, Keenan Allen - there are guys still available," Schultz said. "The question becomes, if you’re the Patriots and you’re Eliot Wolf and Ryan Cowden, are you looking at the draft and do you have one or two guys that you identify as real transcendent type of players? Or do you feel like you have to get a veteran now?"

Adding both a veteran and a player in the draft is the smartest thing the Patriots can do. Give Drake Maye as many reliable targets as possible for the 2025 season and make a real run at a playoff spot.