3 free agents the Patriots must sign to avoid disaster with Jerod Mayo

1. The Patriots have to go all out in pursuit of Mike Evans

After being unable to come to terms on a contract extension before the season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, generational talent Mike Evans elected to bet on himself. Evans has transcended what it means to be a consistent No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL, recording 1000-plus receiving yards in all 10 of his seasons as a pro. By recording 1,255 yards this season, he became the first player in the history of the NFL to begin his career with 10 consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns.

The future Hall of Famer is currently in the midst of a playoff run after finishing the regular season tied with Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins for a league-leading 13 touchdown receptions. Regardless of what happens in the Bucs playoff game against the Detroit Lions this weekend, Evans is going to be a highly-coveted player across the board when he enters unrestricted free agency this offseason.

What better way to ease the transition from college football to the NFL for a young quarterback than to give him a receiving target he can trust? If the Pats are intent on selecting a signal-caller with their No. 3 overall draft pick this offseason their new head coach has suggested, you may not be able to hand-pick a more trustworthy player than Evans to catch passes for said draft pick.

Not to mention, there is a case to be made for the Patriots having the worst receiving corps in the NFL, which means Evans would be filling a position of glaring need. 

The Pats need to sign Evans at all costs this offseason, even if it means making him one of the highest-paid players at his position.