The San Francisco 49ers have been active this offseason in an attempt to build off of their surprisingly productive 2025 campaign. Despite getting decimated by injuries, the Niners managed to make a run to the divisional round of the playoffs, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks.

Several new faces have arrived in town this offseason, with perhaps the biggest of the bunch being veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, who signed a three-year, $42.5 million deal with the team. For the most part, the 49ers’ decision to bring Evans to town has been met with positive reviews, but Zoltan Buday of Pro Football Focus recently explained why he isn’t a fan of this move.

49ers Receive Warning for Mike Evans Signing
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The allure of signing Evans isn’t hard to see. The 49ers, in need of help at wide receiver, targeted one of the most consistent pass catchers in the NFL in Evans. After getting selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Evans rattled off 11 straight seasons where he racked up at least 1,000 receiving yards.

That streak came to an end in 2025, as Evans suffered a collarbone injury that forced him to miss nine games. Even when he was on the field, though, Evans wasn’t as productive as folks had become accustomed to seeing him be, as he caught just 30 passes for 368 yards and three scores. Considering how he’s entering his age-33 season, it’s safe to say San Fran is assuming some risk by signing him in free agency.

The Niners are hoping Evans still has some gas left in the tank, but they may get hung out to dry if he continues to struggle to stay on the field. Combine his age with his recent injury woes, and Buday believes that San Francisco could be in trouble with Evans, as he may find it difficult to bounce back from his disappointing 2025 campaign.

“In a vacuum, getting Evans on the 29th-biggest wide receiver contract in the NFL could be a good deal for the 49ers,” Buday wrote. “However, his recent seasons and history are not on their side. The Texas A&M product set career lows in snaps played in each of the past two seasons and is about to play his 13th year in the NFL. Only one wide receiver has logged more than 400 receiving yards in their 13th season over the past five seasons — Keenan Allen’s 777 in 2025.”

Should the 49ers Have Avoided Mike Evans in Free Agency?

Evans is certainly closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and in recent years, veteran wide receivers have struggled to consistently produce. The most concerning aspect of this move is that Evans has already shown signs of decline, even if some of his struggles last season were due to the collapse of the Buccaneers’ offense.

And yet, if there’s anyone who can break the trend of veteran wideouts struggling from recent years, it’s Evans. He’s going to immediately be the No. 1 wide receiver in San Fran, and the team’s passing attack is much more consistent than Tampa Bay’s. Considering the price of Evans’ contract, bringing him to town was a risk worth taking, and time will tell whether or not this move will pan out for the Niners.