For 20 years, the reason was obvious.
Even if that means taking a massive pay cut, the way Moss did.
Now that power dynamic has shifted, and the desperation is on the other foot.
But the expectations have strangely remained the same.
Let the speculation, the photoshopping:
… and the “NFL Insider” reports begin.
Theyve shown an interest in established receivers, and Higgins is the best free agent.
I expect them to offer him the moon.
The question is whether he says yes or no.
Now if this were 10 years ago, I’d be skeptical of this.
Because then, the Pats were dealing from a position of strength.
They were always capable of finding another Danny Amendola or whomever.
And it was important then to manage the cap in a fiscally and footbally responsible way.
That was the core philosophical belief they’d built an empire on.
No one was indispensable except the quarterback and coach.
We didn’t need them.
But the last I checked, this wasn’t 2014.
Not by the calendar, and not by the AFC standings.
Now we do need Larry Fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson of their primes.
But they’re in short supply.
The Pats really only offer two selling points to a Higgins.
One is the potential Drake Maye has shown.
Hell, as high as I am on Maye, Burrow is a more attractive option.
The other is that once Higgins arrives at OTAs, he’s unquestionably The Man.
Which presumably is what he’s looking for.
Guys with his abilities don’t hit the open market at the age of 26 every day.
More importantly, all Higgins will cost is money.
And targets for Drake Maye that they lack.
And there’s no way they can let that happen.
Sign Tee Higgins at any cost.
We don’t need the moon anyway.
