At least one top receiver will be hitting the open market in free agency

What was supposed to be a strong free agent wide receiver class has dwindled in the weeks leading up to the start of the legal tampering period - the unofficial start of NFL free agency - on March 11. Tee Higgins, the top player at the position eligible to hit the open market was franchise tagged by the Cincinnati Bengals, while the same is expected of Michael Pittman Jr. and the Indianapolis Colts.

However, one big name is now projected to test the open market. On Friday night, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that Evans "plans to hit free agency for the first time in his career."

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Evans hitting free agency doesn't mean he's a lock to leave Tampa. Russini noted that "this doesn’t mean Evans' time as a Buc is over," and Evans has spoken this offseason about wanting to retire as a member of the organization. However Tampa does have multiple key players that need new contracts, including quarterback Baker Mayfield.

At the same time, the fact he won't have a deal in place does leave the door open for a departure. "He plans on hearing from all teams before making a decision," Russini tweeted.

It wouldn't be surprising if Evans receives a significant amount of interest. In his 10 year NFL career, the 6-foot-5, 231-pound Evans passed the 1,000-yard receiving mark 10 times. Last season at the age of 30 he caught 79 passes for 1,255 and a career-high and league-leading 13 touchdowns. Evan has also to be proven durable having missed nine games in his entire career, with just two of those coming in the last four years.

Even as he enters his age 31 season, Evans still belongs in the 'elite' wide receiver conversation. He should garner significant interest from teams looking for a game-changing offensive player - a list that includes the New England Patriots.

The question is, would Evans have interest in joining the Patriots. Of course, they'd have to meet his price. PFF projects him to get a three-year, $69 million dollar deal ($23 million AAV) with $52.5 million guaranteed. But even at that point, the Patriots may have to go above and beyond.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Evans "wants to play with an elite quarterback in an offense that will showcase him — and be paid like a top wide receiver. He doesn’t want to play with a rookie QB. Winning a Super Bowl is a key priority."

Assuming that's true, it would be a long-shot at best for the Patriots to land Evans. They'd either need to significantly overpay, or commit to a bridge veteran quarterback in 2024 - and one that Evans believes in (if there is anybody available fitting that category at all).

Still, Evans hitting the market is good news for the receiver-needy Patriots even if they don't land him. Some team ultimately will add him, meaning one less team to compete with elsewhere in the receiver market and/or towards the top of the draft.

The on-field workout portion of the 2024 NFL Combine resumed on Friday afternoon. On the second of four days of workouts, it was defensive backs and tight ends on the field. Both groups are positions of need - albeit to different extents - for the Patriots.

In the defensive backfield, boundary corner is probably the biggest need. After the release of J.C. Jackson on Friday, the Patriots' remaining boundary cornerback depth is thin behind Jonathan Jones and Christian Gonzalez. Adding another player to compete for the third rotational role along with Isaiah Bolden and Marco Wilson would make sense.

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Box safety shouldn't be much of a need, especially if the Patriots re-sign Kyle Dugger (who they've reportedly already offered a contract too). However if the team wants to get back to using more of a true free, deep safety, they'd need to add a player that better fits that profile.

Then there's tight end, which is the biggest need. The Patriots currently have just one tight end under contract for 2024 - La'Michael Pettway, who they signed before the final game of the season. Restocking that position is a key task that will likely include additions both in free agency and the draft. While we'll just highlight a few tight ends here, it was really a strong day for the position as a whole.

So, which players from these positions stood out? Here are the highlights from Day 2 of the NFL Combine...

At 5-foot-11 some teams may try to move Melton into the slot at the next level but the Patriots have shown a willingness in recent years to play shorter corners on the outside. Melton certainly showed he has the athleticism to hang with bigger receivers, recording a 4.39-second 40, a 40.5-inch vertical, and a cornerback-leading 11-foot-4-inch broad jump. If the Patriots feel they need to be more aggressive in attacking the cornerback position, he could be a pick early on Day 3 if he falls a bit from his current projection.

Brownlee didn't take part in the testing drills, but did do the on-field workouts and excelled. He was particularly dominant at the 'gauntlet' drill, which tends to be one of the more telling. It was another good step for Brownlee after a strong Senior Bowl.

Simpson dominated the testing, finishing top three among safeties in the 40 (4.45 seconds), the 10-yard split (1.51 seconds), vertical (39.5-inches), and broad jump (11-foot-1-inch). Simpson pairs that athleticism with true positional versatility, having played safety full-time last year after beginning his career as a full-time boundary corner. Still, he's a projected early Day 3 pick.

If the Patriots are looking for a player with more free safety experience, Taylor-Demerson fits the bill and had a good showing in Indianapolis. He paced all players at the position with a 4.41-second 40, and showed true range in the on-field drills. He's projected to go later on Day 3.

At 6-foot-5, 271 pounds, Reiman's testing was on-par or exceeded that of players 10 to 20 pounds lighter than him. His 4.64-second 40 included a 1.55-second 10-yard split, which was tied for the best among all tight ends. His success translated to the on-field drills, specifically the gauntlet and the blocking sled. He's currently projected to be a late Day 3 pick.

Another player with an impressive size/athleticism mix was Johnson, who received a perfect 10 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) based on his initial numbers. At 6-foot-6, 259 pounds he ran a 4.57-second 40 (second among all tight ends) with a 1.55-second split, plus a 39.5-inch vertical (second among tight ends) and 10-foot-5-inch broad jump (also second). Johnson was projected as an early Day 3 pick after a strong Senior Bowl, and his stock will likely continue to rise coming out of the Combine.

Keeping it going with the Big Ten tight ends we get to Stover. A converted defensive end, the bigger question with him was his comfort in the positional drills rather than the testing, and he did well in that area. In particular his reps on the blocking sled and red zone fade routes stood out.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.