Mike Evans has wasted no time changing the look of the San Francisco 49ers’ passing game, and one ESPN analyst says his impact belongs in the same conversation as Kenneth Walker III’s arrival in Kansas City.
"I think the Mike Evans addition in San Francisco is just as impactful as the Kenneth Walker addition in Kansas City..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 12, 2026
Brock Purdy has unwavering trust in Mike Evans..
He always knows where he's gonna be and he's totally changed their pass game" ~ @danorlovsky7 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/rhoRFcaJn8
On Monday’s edition of “The Pat McAfee Show,” Dan Orlovsky drew a direct line between the two offseason additions.
“I think the Mike Evans addition through five weeks is just as impactful as the Kenneth Walker addition in Kansas City,” Orlovsky said.
“I really do. You can see there is a confidence level and a trust level between Brock Purdy and Mike Evans….Brock knows where he's going to be, when he's going to be there and he's never getting fooled by him… He's totally, totally changed their pass game.”
The numbers back up the buzz. Evans has caught 24 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns. His production does not match Walker’s 621 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns, but the 6-foot-5 receiver is clearly giving Purdy a reliable downfield target and helping stretch the field for Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Evans already arrived in San Francisco with a reputation that did not need much polishing. He’s a Buccaneers legend, a projected Hall of Famer, a two-time Second-Team All-Pro and a player who has long understood how to do his job at a high level.
And while he may not care about being compared with Kenneth Walker III as the top free-agent signing of 2026, he does seem focused on the bigger prize. The 49ers are 5-0, and Evans is giving them exactly what they hoped for: a real boost in their push for a championship.
Fans will get a chance to see both stars in the same stadium before the year is out, with a possible rematch coming in early 2027.
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