The San Francisco 49ers‘ wide-receiver corps has been besieged by injuries and controversy for the past two seasons.
But they are turning to a soon-to-be 33-year-old as the answer to their passing game in 2026.
Mike Evans, the veteran former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout, is the newcomer to watch in the Bay, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.
Evans had his streak of 11 straight 1,000-plus-yard seasons snapped in 2025. He only played eight games and caught 30 passes for 368 yards with three touchdowns for the Bucs last year.
But Evans is expected to at least be San Francisco’s No. 2 wideout, potentially behind 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, while replacing Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.
Aiyuk, who was in a contract dispute in 2024, is done with the team and is talking his way out of the league. Meanwhile, Jennings left for the Minnesota Vikings in free agency.
Mike Evans is the Newcomer to Watch for the 49ers
Evans is 6-5 and 231 pounds, but he has had a huge chip on his shoulder that also has helped him likely reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the not-so-distant future.
So Evans signing in the Bay, to a three-year contract that may be worth up to $42 million, could be huge for the Niners offense to take the heat off running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle.
“Evans is itching to hit the reset button on his career,” Barrows wrote Monday. “The longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers [receiver] said nothing negative about his former team this offseason, but itâs clear he was looking for a fresh start and to return to form from a 2025 clavicle injury that caused him to finish with fewer than 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career.”
Evans has been prolific around the goal line in his career, since he had an NFL-best 13 receiving touchdowns for the Bucs in 2023 and boasts the second-most receiving TDs (108) of any active wide out.
“The 49ers donât have long-term expectations for Evans,” Barrows wrote. “Still, he was the talk of spring practices â from young players and veterans alike â as he took part in most of the OTA sessions and dominated the red-zone portions.”
The Niners are Hoping Mike Evans Can Mentor Their Young Wideouts
The 49ers have arguably the two best offensive players at their positions, in McCaffrey and Kittle. They have had great wideouts before, since Aiyuk had 1,342 yards in 2023, and Deebo Samuel had more than 1,400 yards for the Niners in 2021.
But the 49ers signed Evans for consistency and as a culture setter, since they have an array of young receivers that can learn from a model like Evans.
“The team is confident [Evans] can both bounce back in 2026 and set a professional tone for a young receiving group that includes Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins and DeâZhaun Stribling,” Barrows wrote.
Evans set an example for young wideouts like Chris Godwin, who blossomed into a Pro Bowler, and 2025 rookie Emeka Egbuka. But he also helped make life easier for quarterbacks like Tom Brady, with whom he of course won a Super Bowl, and journeyman Baker Mayfield, who twice made the Pro Bowl in Tampa.
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