Patriots Named Best Fit For Legendary WR

It's official that wide receiver Mike Evans will be returning to the NFL for a 13th season, but where will he play? The pending free agent is among one of the biggest names in the 2026 cycle, and despite not extending his NFL-record 1,000 receiving yard streak last season due to injury, is bound to get some offers across the league.

That being said, Greg Auman of Fox Sports believes that the New England Patriots can be a good fit for the future Hall of Fame wideout. Evans just finished the second year of a two-year contract worth $54 million with the Buccaneers — the team he's spent his entire career with — and is likely looking at a one to two year contract as he approaches his age 33 season.

The Patriots don't have wide receivers hitting the open market this offseason, so adding Evans would be just adding another vertical weapon for Drake Maye to utilize. But with potential changes being made to the top of the depth chart, the space for Evans to work as the team's WR1 could be possible.

"New England went from 4-13 to playing in the Super Bowl in a single season, and they did it without a true star on the receiving end of Drake Maye's passes," Auman wrote.

"Stefon Diggs could be cut with a big contract and modest returns, and if they did that, it would cost close to the same to bring in Evans, who is the same age as Diggs but has had a much more consistent NFL career. For comparison, the Patriots haven't had a receiver get 10 touchdowns in a season since Randy Moss in 2009, while Evans has done it six times in that span."

Oct 3, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans (13) is tackled by New England Patriots cornerback Joejuan Williams (33) at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Diggs is a big question mark surrounding the team. He's still two seasons away from his torn ACL, and his off-the-field issues (which he recently pled not guilty for) could throw a wrench in any of New England's plans for 2026. He'll be the big factor to determine whether the Patriots go out to the open market to buy a new toy for Maye.

Who's On The Patriots Roster Right Now?

Young receivers on the team — Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III — are all on their rookie contracts, allowing the Patriots to possibly spend big on Evans (The Athletic projects his contract to be $51 million over two seasons). Mack Hollins is also under contract, and Jeremiah Webb and John Jiles will also return on futures deals.

Evans has put together one of the more impressive careers for a wideout in recent memory. For the first 11 seasons of his tenure in Tampa Bay, he recorded 1,000+ yards -- a record that stood the test of time until an injury cut hit 2025 season short. He was Tom Brady's top wideout when the legendary Patriots quarterback won the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020, and he's three 1,000-yard seasons away from tying Hall of Famer Jerry Rice for the most in NFL history.

The other teams that Auman projects to be good fits for Evans are the Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, and of course, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Free agency officially opens up on March 11.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!