Why Mike Evans-centric offense is unlike anything 49ers’ Kyle Shanahan has ever had

The San Francisco 49ers managed to sign Mike Evans to a three-year, $42.4 million contract this offseason, where he will be paired up with head coach Kyle Shanahan. While Evans is entering the 13th season of his NFL career, he may be in line for another big campaign.

ESPN analyst Ben Solak believes that could be the case considering Shanahan has never worked with a wideout of Evans’ size before. His 6-foot-5, 231 lbs frame is much larger than what the 49ers have had in the wide receiver room, which could bring a new element to San Francisco’s offense. Solak explains how Shanahan has typically utilized taller wide receivers in the past.

“The tallest receiver to take a snap for a Shanahan-led offense is Rodney Smith, a 6-foot-5 undrafted free agent who ran five routes for the Browns in 2014. The tallest receivers to take significant snaps for a Shanahan-led offense are the 6-foot-3 Julio Jones, Josh Gordon, and Jauan Jennings. Jennings is a bit of a misnomer. Though tall, he did not fill the traditional role of a tall receiver.

“He was one of the first big slot receivers in a mold that has now proliferated across the league, as almost half of his targets (48.5%) came from the slot in his time in San Francisco. Shanahan used his large frame as an additional blocker in the running game and a post-up player on quick-breaking routes. Outside of Jennings, Shanahan has largely run his 49ers’ passing game through 6-footers like Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.”

Mike Evans, who will be 33 by the start of the 2026-27 campaign, has used his size to his advantage throughout his football career. His first 11 years in the league with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were widely successful, as he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark every season in that span.

Evans only managed to record 368 yards and three touchdowns last year, as he was limited to just eight games, largely due to hamstring injuries. The six-time Pro Bowler aims for a big bounce-back year with the 49ers next season.

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