The injury bug has taken a major toll on the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. Ricky Pearsall underwent season-ending surgery, while Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey have each been dealing with injuries. Now, Mike Evans has joined that list, raising questions about whether he’ll be ready to suit up in Week 1.
Latest Update on Mike Evans’ Injury Status
Evans has had quite the eventful offseason. After 12 seasons with the Buccaneers, the six-time Pro Bowler signed a three-year, $42.4 million contract with the 49ers. Unfortunately, the future Hall of Famer has struggled to get acclimated to Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
On August 3, Evans was reported to have suffered a quad strain, which kept him out of practice. Evans was sidelined for several more days before rejoining the team, in uniform, for the 49ers’ joint practice against the Titans on August 11.
A week later, during the 49ers’ joint practice with the Chargers ahead of their second preseason game, Evans was removed from practice, with his left quad reportedly wrapped in ice. It remains unclear what caused the issue.
49ers beat reporter Matt Maiocco did provide some optimism, however, writing, “Kyle Shanahan said Mike Evans was just experiencing some tightness. He does not think it’s anything serious.”
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ESPN NFL reporter Nick Wagoner later added that Shannahan “didn’t sound concerned, nor did it look particularly painful for Evans, but we’ll see where he is when the team returns to practice this weekend. Hard to imagine he will play (or would have) on Thursday night.”
Turning 33 tomorrow, the 49ers’ coaching staff is likely taking a precautionary approach with the veteran wide receiver. It’s not ideal that Evans has missed such valuable practice time, but based on Shanahan’s statements and the reports from San Francisco beat writers, the expectation is that he will be ready for Week 1.
Evans played only eight games last season as he was limited by injuries. According to PFN’s WR Impact Metric, he posted an impact score of 69.9, ranking 63rd at his position.
The 49ers’ current depth chart features Evans, Deebo Samuel Sr., Demarcus Robinson, rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, and Christian Kirk, although Kirk is currently dealing with an injury of his own.
Stribling has been particularly impressive throughout training camp and the preseason and should be a major part of this 49ers offense, regardless of Evans’ status.
The 49ers are aiming to contend for a Lombardi Trophy in 2026, but they will need all hands on deck, including Evans, if they want to overcome their division rivals, the Seahawks and Rams. The situation will be worth monitoring to see whether Evans receives an official injury designation before Week 1.
