Before longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans left the club to sign a three-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, it was revealed that Evans was “prioritizing…quarterback, scheme and acumen of the offensive coordinator/play-caller” while considering his options.
Thus, it’s understandable that some of the comments he made during his introductory 49ers news conference on Thursday raised eyebrows among Buccaneers reporters and fans.
Leaving Buccaneers for 49ers was a “no-brainer” for Mike Evans?
“I did my research on a lot of teams that I was looking at,” Evans explained, per the JoeBucsFan website and David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. “I was looking at contenders, guys with good quarterbacks, obviously. So I was looking at here, the Buffalo Bills, teams that needed a No. 1 wide receiver. I like this place. This was my No. 1 spot, on my own. And then I talked to [49ers general manager John Lynch] and [head coach Kyle Shanahan], and it solidified it for me. So, I’ve always been a fan of Kyle … and he just talked about how he sees me in this offense, and it just made me even happier, and it was a no-brainer, really, after I got on the phone with them.”
The “good quarterbacks” line could lead one to question what Evans thinks of Baker Mayfield, his full-time QB1 with Tampa Bay over the past three seasons. It also sounds like Evans views Shanahan as an upgrade over the current Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles.
These two players sold Mike Evans on 49ers
Evans had a front-row seat when then-49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy made his first regular-season start in December 2022 and guided San Francisco to a dominant 35-7 win over Tampa Bay.
“He’s a true professional,” Evans said about Purdy. “Really, really underrated player. His first start was against my Buccaneers back in 2022, and I saw right then and there that if I played with him, I feel like I could help him out a lot. And he’s already a really good player. I just hope I can help him get to where he wants to go in his career, and that’s to be a Super Bowl champion, potential MVP, and just have a great career here in San Francisco.”
Evans added that star tight end George Kittle sold the 49ers “big time” and is “a big reason why I’m here.”
Evans isn’t hiding that he feels he joined a team better than the Buccaneers this offseason. History shows Mayfield may have something to say about Evans’ defection later this spring.