The New England Patriots apparently had interest in signing Mike Evans. However, the wide receiver decided against the Pats and opted for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Mike Evans is an institution with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Since the wide receiver joined the NFL in 2014, he has been on the pitch for the team from Florida. According to “ESPN”, he will continue to do so for the next two years. But he could also have gone to Foxborough.

As “The Athletic” reports, the Patriots are also said to have set their sights on Evans in their search for a star receiver.

However, he was probably not interested in joining the team from the north-east of the USA. Instead, according to media reports, Evans agreed a new two-year contract with the Bucs, which will earn him USD 26 million per season.

Before signing the contract, his advisor had emphasized that the star receiver did not want to work with a rookie quarterback and would only target the Super Bowl with a contender. Both were arguments that may have clearly spoken against New England.

New England Patriots probably also interested in Baker Mayfield

Last season, the 30-year-old broke 1,000 receiving yards for the tenth time in ten years, and the Pro Bowler also set a personal record with 13 touchdowns in the regular season.

In addition to Evans, who would have become a free agent after the 2023 season, quarterback Baker Mayfield is also said to be an option for New England. According to “The Athletic”, however, the playmaker is unlikely to be signed and the first pick of 2018 is also likely to return to the Bucs.