The [New England Patriots](https://nesn.com/new-england-patriots) could use some more help on offense, and Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is slated to be a free agent.
Evans is a future Hall of Famer, but played in just eight games last season thanks to a collarbone injury. In 2024, he tied Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in NFL history with 11. The 32-year-old is one of the best receivers of this generation, but the Patriots might be better off staying away.
The Patriots already have an expensive, aging receiver in Diggs. While Diggs was great, signing an older receiver comes with plenty of risk. Evans' resume could lead to him being an expensive receiver in free agency, and the Patriots may be better off spending on different players.
The Patriots could look to spend on a pass rusher instead of a receiver. However, if they do target wide receivers in free agency, Alec Pierce, George Pickens or Romeo Doubs could be better options. All of them are younger than Evans and could provide more for their price tag than Evans might.
While Evans is still a solid player and can help a team win, he may be trending down. He will turn 33 soon, and last season he averaged just 12.3 yards per reception. It was the first time in his career that he had been below 13 yards per reception. He also averaged just 46 yards per game in the eight games that he played.
The six-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion will surely draw interest in free agency. He has 13,052 career receiving yards and 108 touchdowns. He is top 10 all-time in receiving touchdowns and is less than 1,300 yards away from being top 10 in receiving yards all-time. He seems to be headed for the Hall of Fame one day, but there are simply better players for the Patriots to spend money on in this free agent class if they want to add a receiver.
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