The 49ers got a little breathing room in Mike Evans’ quad-strain recovery this week.
After ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported that the veteran wide receiver had suffered the injury during workouts and missed practice, San Francisco’s early preseason plans suddenly had a wrinkle. Evans, who arrived in the offseason after a long, decorated run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was brought in to give Kyle Shanahan a bigger threat downfield and help push the 49ers toward a Super Bowl run.
Now there’s a better sign that the setback isn’t lingering. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco posted an update from practice on X, writing: “WR Mike Evans, out since August 3 with a quad strain, is back in uniform for the 49ers today. I can't imagine he'll do much (or anything) during the joint practice with the Titans today.”
That doesn’t mean the 49ers are suddenly turning him loose. The expectation is still that the team will handle him carefully, especially with joint practices against Tennessee bringing a much higher-intensity setting than a normal workout. But simply having Evans back in uniform is a meaningful step for a player the 49ers need to be healthy.
Shanahan has already made clear how he views the new arrival. In an interview with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, he said Evans will be an irreplaceable boundary receiver when he’s on the field and noted that a player at that level will naturally draw a heavy share of targets in the offense. With Shanahan calling the shots, Evans is set up to be a central piece of San Francisco’s passing game in 2026.
In Other News...
49ers Suddenly Have A Backfield Problem They Can't Ignore
The 49ers are looking hard at their backfield depth as injuries force the team to take a closer look at outside help. San Francisco has held workouts and visits for veteran running backs Nyheim Miller-Hines, Zamir White and Blake Watson as the club tries to stabilize a position group that has been thinned out heading into preseason work.
Christian McCaffrey has been sidelined with tightness, and Jordan James, Kaelon Black and Isaac Guerendo are also out or limited, leaving the 49ers with very little certainty behind the starters. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said injuries can create chances for other players to step up, but the teams current roster evaluations suggest the front office is not waiting around to see if the depth problem solves itself. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Depth Chart Already Reveals A Few Early Camp Surprises
The first unofficial depth chart for the preseason opener against the Titans offered an early look at how the 49ers are sorting through a roster that still has a few jobs up for grabs. The starting group looks largely the same as last season, but the real intrigue sits beneath it, where rookies and backups are beginning to separate themselves in the competition for roster spots and roles.
A few of the placements stood out right away, including Connor Colby not opening at left guard, a shared backup running back spot, and Robinson showing up as the third receiver. None of it is final at this stage of camp, of course, but the chart does give a glimpse into how San Francisco is viewing the early pecking order while the preseason gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Moody Is Reminding 49ers Fans Of One Frustrating Problem
Jake Moodys path since leaving San Francisco has been a reminder of why his next stop always felt like a prove-it stage. The former 49ers kicker is now competing with Drew Stevens for Washingtons placekicking job, and the battle has come with the same uneven feel that shadowed his time in the Bay Area. Even after a stint on the Bears practice squad and his arrival on Washingtons active roster, the conversation around Moody keeps circling back to the same thing: the talent is there, but the consistency has not always followed.
For 49ers fans, it is a familiar frustration rather than a surprise. Moody has shown he can deliver in game settings, but his career has been marked by stretches that leave teams wondering what version they are getting next. Washington is hoping the competition sharpens him, yet the ongoing kicking battle suggests there is still plenty unresolved about whether he can turn promise into something steadier. [Read more 🡒]