Mike Evans is Trending Towards Being a Pointless 49ers Addition

He keeps missing practice.

Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (5) watches from the sideline during a game against the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mike Evans is still out of practice with a groin injury he suffered over a week ago. The 49ers hoped he could return this week, but now they're aiming for next week.

"He ran into a little hiccup with his adductor, but he's working really well to the side, and hope to get him back here early next week, said John Lynch to KNBR. "And if all goes well, he'll be suiting up and making plays for us, and that's all the guy's done throughout his career."

It seems this is a week-to-week injury for the 13-year veteran. He's dealt with several soft-tissue injuries since training camp began, starting with his quad.

Evans has struggled to string together practices, which indicates his body is breaking down. And if he can't make it through a handful of practices, he's bound to struggle to make it through the entire season.

At this point, Evans is trending towards being a pointless 49ers addition. It feels like he's more likely to miss Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams than to play in it.

And if he does, he probably won't be fully fit. That'll be something to monitor if he's active for the game, to see how his snap counts and usage play out.

In any case, Evans playing in Week 1 isn't the point of this. It's his ability to play in every, if not most, of the games this season. Can anyone confidently say Evans will succeed in that?

If you can, then you're enormously optimistic. Nothing Evans has shown since joining the 49ers indicates that he will be fine and active for most of the season.

I've said this before in a previous article; he's more prone to play in fewer than 11 games than in more than 11 games. Should that occur, he's a pointless addition.

Any player who can't stay healthy for most of the games is a pointless addition, but especially Evans. The 49ers signed him, hoping that he'd be their wide receiver cure-all.

With Brandon Aiyuk going AWOL, they needed to immediately address the No. 1 receiver spot. Evans was that Band-Aid. It made sense, despite the obvious concerns with his health and age.

Now, if Evans can't remain available, the 49ers will have an easy decision to make with him once the 2026 season is over. They can get out from under the 3-year deal that he signed in March.

The 49ers didn't invest a ton in him, which is the bright side, should Evans end up being a pointless signing. But it still would be brutal if he doesn't pan out.

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