On Monday and Tuesday, we heard about the pros and cons of the Patriots pursuing former Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill in free agency.
Some on the station want no part of the soon to be 32-year-old speedster coming off a dislocated knee carrying a truckload of off the field distractions, while others are willing to take a flier on Hill the same way the Patriots did with Stefon Diggs last spring.
On Wednesday, WEEI’s Jermaine Wiggins used his lead on The Greg Hill Show to bring yet another veteran wide receiver’s name to the table - one that was instrumental in helping Tom Brady win a Super Bowl late in his career.
“I have the perfect guy for the Patriots to go after,” said Wiggy. “We kind of talked about it - Tyreek Hill, what do the Patriots need? And I know from sitting next to Mike Vrabel for I don't know how many weeks, he would always talk about one area where the offense needed to do better, and that area was in the red zone.
“So when I look at the free agents that are available that you might be able to get on a short price, and people are like, ‘Who should they go after?’ There is one name on that list that would make this team better in that area, and that is Mike Evans.”
The suggestion of the Buccaneers legend was met with a groan by WEEI’s Greg Hill, who went on to say the 32-year-old pass catcher was “ancient.”
“You know who they thought was ancient? Davante Adams,” said Wiggy. “How many touchdowns did Davante Adams have this year? 14. You know where 90% of those touchdowns came from? Inside the red zone.
“He had 60 catches for 789 yards. Not a lot, but he had 14 touchdowns. And when you look at this football team, Mike Vrabel talked about their inability to score when they get in the red zone. What does Mike Evans do, and what has he always been known for? He's been a red zone nightmare when it comes to defenses, and his ability to score touchdowns. So when you look at what you'd have to pay him, it probably wouldn't be a lot of money. Would you rather have Tyreek Hill or Mike Evans?”
Like Hill, Evans is coming off a season where he missed significant time due to multiple injuries - a hamstring issue early in the season, and a broken clavicle in Week 7. Those injuries kept him to a career-low in games (8), touchdowns (3), targets (62), catches (30), yards (368), yards per reception (12.3), yards per game (46.0) and yards per target (5.9).
With that said, his injury-plagued season in 2025 broke a record-tying streak of 11 straight seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards (2014-24). Evans holds that record with the game’s most prolific pass catcher of all time, Jerry Rice (1986-96).
Decent company, no doubt.
On top of historical consistency leading up to the 2025 season, Evans also brings with him a different physical makeup than almost every other pass catcher on the Patriots’ roster. At 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds, only Mack Hollins (6-foot-4, 221) comes close to Evans’ stature.
To give Drake Maye a pass catcher with both the frame of true No. 1 along with the track record of a true No. 1 gives New England’s offense a chance to take an even bigger leap forward during the 23-year-old’s third season.
Is there a chance Evans is “washed,” as the kids say? No doubt.
But if the price is right on a Hall of Fame caliber player just one year removed from making his sixth career Pro Bowl, it would be malpractice to not at least have the conversation, especially when wide receiver remains a need for this franchise.
Stay locked in to WEEI and WEEI.com for all the latest on the Patriots’ offseason.