Mike Evans’ first camp with the 49ers has turned into a frustrating stretch of stops and starts, and the latest setback only adds to the pile.
According to @MaioccoNBCS, Evans has a groin injury and is not practicing after leaving practice early twice over the last week. The issue is the same kind of problem that has followed him through training camp: minor on paper, but enough to keep him out of action.
That has been the theme since camp opened. Evans has been dealing with one small injury after another, and the volume of those bumps has become impossible to ignore. Kyle Shanahan has called the injuries minor, but that label does not make the situation any less concerning when a player is already missing time in August.
The veteran receiver’s health history only makes the current stretch stand out more. Evans missed nine games in 2025 and three games in 2024, so this is not being treated as a one-off issue. Soft tissue problems are harder to pin down than a clear-cut sprain or knee injury, and after 12 years in the NFL, the wear and tear is part of the picture.
For Buccaneers fans, it brings back a feeling they did not expect to have. Many were unhappy when Jason Licht let Evans walk in free agency, but the early returns have given Tampa Bay at least some reason to feel better about the decision. The team is not paying a big contract for him to be on the sideline, even if that is only a small consolation.
Evans signed a three-year deal that could be worth as much as $43 million, with $16.3 million guaranteed. The 49ers can also pay him up to $850,000 in per-game roster bonuses, whether he is on the field or not.
Tampa Bay will not see San Francisco in the regular season, though a postseason meeting remains possible. For now, the bigger question is how much Evans can actually give the 49ers if these camp issues keep stacking up.
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