The San Francisco 49ers’ big premier free-agent signing this offseason was obviously wide receiver Mike Evans. While he gives San Francisco an unquestioned No. 1 receiver atop the depth chart, Niners great Terrell Owens confirmed what fans fear most about Evans in a recent interview.
Kyle Odegard interviewed Owens for Action Network in an article that can be read here. There are some juicy quotes from Owens about how he feels about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, so it's well worth the read.
But Odegard also asked T.O. about what Evans will add to San Francisco’s offense, and here is what he had to say:
“Obviously he’s been battling the hamstring injuries over the last few years with the Buccaneers, and that’s of some concern. Hopefully he can do some things in the offseason to eliminate that. It’s usually been late in the season when he’s been hurt, so he has to change up what he’s doing from a training standpoint. Even nutrition.”
Owens does think the Niners are in a good position if Evans can stay healthy though as he said, "If he can address that and be productive, be available for the team toward the end of the season and into the playoffs, they’ve got a good chance."
Of course, that’s a pretty big "if" for San Francisco.
The 49ers are not exactly known for being a team that stays healthy and durable throughout the season, so they may need the injury bug to quit biting them for at least one season so Evans can stay healthy.
The hamstring has been a problem for the veteran in recent years, but last season is the only one where he missed significant time because of it. Outside of 2025, he’s played in 13 or more games every NFL season, so he’s been pretty durable. Maybe he can get back to full health and be in a better position coming into the 2026 season with San Francisco.
Injury concerns are not limited to Evans on San Francisco’s wide receiver depth chart. Ricky Pearsall has struggled to stay on the field for much of his first two NFL seasons, so there will be a lot of questions about durability as it pertains to that position group.
It could force younger receivers like newly drafted De’Zhaun Stribling, Jordan Watkins, or Jacob Cowing to step up if the guys ahead of them get hurt.
T.O. is right that Evans’ hamstring is cause for concern, but if it can hold up, the Niners should be positioned to make another playoff run.
Add us as a preferred source on Google