Would Josh McDaniels Hinder Patriots’ Potential Pursuit Of All-Pro?

The Patriots are expected to lose out on Tee Higgins but will have options in free agency.

New England ideally could have used its massive amount of cap space to throw at Tee Higgins. However, the Cincinnati Bengals reportedly are expected to use the non-exclusive franchise tag on Higgins.

The news was a tough blow, but the Patriots could look to the Jets for a key asset. New York would be wise to cut Davante Adams to shed $29 million in salary. The All-Pro wide receiver would be an intriguing addition. But his relationship with Josh McDaniels might be a dealbreaker.

“As for the Patriots, there is mixed reporting on whether or not Adams and Josh McDaniels vibe (Greg Bedard says they do, but I have heard otherwise), although a lot of guaranteed dollars can always make the heart grow fonder,” the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi wrote in a column Saturday.

Bedard claimed on his CLNS Media podcast that Adams and McDaniels get along well and broke their tensions. It was clear the Pro Bowl wideout wasn’t fond of the former Raiders head coach. It was on display when Las Vegas fired McDaniels and in the “Receiver” Netflix docuseries.

It’s possible things changed, and as Giardi noted, money could convince Adams to deal with McDaniels.

Whether or not Adams is a good fit with the Patriots is another story. The 32-year-old dealt with multiple injuries in recent seasons. However, he’s reached over 1,000 yards in every season since 2020 and could be a valuable veteran for a young wide receiver corps.

Any Adams discussion starts with the Jets. New England and other receiver-needy teams will keep a close eye on them to see how they manage their cap situation.