Mike Evans proves his 49ers signing might be NFL’s most slept-on move | Opinion

Turns out that the NFL's model of consistent excellence at receiver didn't lose his mojo merely by being injured.

It was certainly fair to ponder the ways in which the San Francisco 49ers' signing of Mike Evans might not work out. The league's most snake-bitten franchise, after all, was counting on the 33-year-old marquee offseason signing to stay healthy as he came off a hamstring injury and broken collarbone in 2025.

Then, the 49ers' passing attack lost Ricky Pearsall to a season-ending knee injury in August. The heightened reliance on Evans looked like a shakier proposition through training camp, when the 13th-year veteran was plagued by groin and quad injuries.

For a team that seems to have an injury track record determined by Murphy's Law, that dynamic was enough to leave many unnerved.

But Evans made it to Australia for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams without limitations. And he showed he was fully unencumbered during his debut with his new team.

Even though he wasn't operating in a starring role, Evans proved to be nothing short of essential for the 49ers' offense in a 27-7 win. He caught six passes for 49 yards and one touchdown, with…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/