Who Should I Start? Mike Evans or A.J. Brown

Saturday, February 28, 4:17 AM

At the NFL Combine on Thursday, sources told Jenna Laine of ESPN that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will "aggressively pursue" attempts to re-sign wide receiver Mike Evans ahead of the 2026 season. The 32-year-old pass catcher played in a career-low eight games in 2025 due to collarbone and hamstring injuries, and was unable to extend his streak of 1,000-yard seasons to 12. When active and healthy in Weeks 1 through 3 and 15 through 18, however, Evans was quarterback Baker Mayfield's preferred target, averaging eight targets and 39% air yards share per game. If Evans does return to Tampa, he profiles as a low-end WR2 due to his target volume and the likelihood that he will lead a packed wide receiver room.

Saturday, February 28, 7:02 AM

The New England Patriots "have explored trade talks" involving Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, but they feel the current asking price is "unserious," a source told Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. The return could be a step above what the Seattle Seahawks received when they traded receiver DK Metcalf and a sixth-rounder to the Pittsburgh Steelers last offseason for a second-rounder (52nd overall) and a seventh-rounder. Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said that the team would be willing to trade their first-round pick "in the right situation." New England is looking to add more offensive firepower to help quarterback Drake Maye, and they could be forced to cut top wideout Stefon Diggs for salary cap reasons. Brown was unhappy with his role in Philly's offense in 2025, but he still managed to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth straight season while also scoring seven times. Brown is familiar with head coach Mike Vrabel from their time together in Tennessee, and he's been public about his lifelong fandom of the Patriots. There is some smoke here, so stay tuned.