PLAN B: Sign two No. 3 WRs like Higgins, Humphries
No big names available? No problem. Several capable WRs should still litter the market, starting with the Browns’ Rashard Higgins and Adam Humphries.
The Pats may view the showy Higgins, who pleaded guilty to drag racing in January after tweeting that his “foot slipped,” as a questionable fit. Higgins also goes by the nickname “Hollywood” in Cleveland, but is reportedly beloved in the Browns locker room.
Higgins was second in the NFL at 11.5 yards per target last year. He’s sure-handed and threatens defenses deep by changing tempo within his routes, then attacking defensive backs with his 6-foot-1 frame. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield posted a 126.1 passer rating when targeting Higgins last year, completing more than half his deep throws.
Higgins finished with 37 receptions for 599 yards and four touchdowns. He’s projected to sign for between $5 million and $7 million annually.
Humphries profiles as a typical buy-low candidate for the Patriots. Two years ago, the team upped its offer when Humphries first hit free agency and chose to sign with Tennessee, which recently made him a cap casualty. Humphries is still a plus player on per-snap basis, but health is major issue for the 27-year-old slot option. He averaged 64 catches per season from 2016-18, before injuries limited him to 19 games over the past two years.
Other options: former Jaguar Keelan Cole, who started 23 games over four years in Jacksonville. The fleet-footed Cole snagged a career-high 55 passes last year for 642 yards and five TDs. Niners backup Kendrick Bourne boasts better underlying numbers than his season-long stat line — 49 catches, 667 yards and two touchdowns — would indicate.
Last season, he averaged 2.8 yards of separation and out-performed his expected yards after catch by more than a full yard on average, per Next Gen Stats tracking data. Bourne’s yards per target has also risen every year since he entered the league in 2017 as an undrafted rookie, an encouraging sign for a player whose best football should be ahead of him.