The San Francisco 49ers own the best record in the NFC at 7-1. And they’ve stayed there even with arguably the most depleted wide receiver room in the NFL.
The biggest absence has been wide receiver Mike Evans, who hasn’t played since leaving the Week 6 win over the Washington Commanders with Achilles tendinitis.
However, the six-time Pro Bowler might not be far off. Just don’t ask head coach Kyle Shanahan for a date.
Shanahan said Evans is “getting real close” during an appearance on KNBR’s “Dirty Work” on Thursday. But he stopped short of saying whether Evans will play when the 49ers visit the 4-5 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
Mike Evans ‘Real Close’ to a Return?
Shanahan sounded optimistic about Evans getting back on the field, but his timeline was vague.
“I think it is getting real close,” Shanahan told Adam Copeland and Derek Papa. “But we look at it at the beginning of the week, every week, and see where he’s at, and he was a lot closer this week than last week, and hopefully, that continues next week.”
That last part is what makes the update cryptic.
“Next week” seemingly suggests Sunday’s game in Arlington isn’t a lock. Shanahan also made it clear the 49ers aren’t going to rush things.
“Mike’s such a dog and wants to get out there all the time. And I think it’d be hard to keep him out if this was the last game or anything like that,” Shanahan explained. “But what we’re trying not to do is have him come back and then be out right away. We’re trying to build him up the right way, so hopefully, it can last a little bit.”
It’s easy to see why San Francisco is being careful.
Evans has dealt with a hip injury, fractured ribs he played through against the Denver Broncos and now the Achilles, all in his first season in the Bay Area. He hasn’t practiced since he got hurt against Washington.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said on Nov. 8 that Evans was “questionable at best” for the Cowboys game. He also compared the injury to the Achilles tendinitis that sidelined Christian McCaffrey two seasons ago.
49ers Have Gotten By Without Mike Evans
>>>>>>>>When he’s been on the field, Evans has been every bit the No. 1 receiver the 49ers were hoping for when they signed him to a three-year deal this offseason.
The 33-year-old has 27 catches for 420 yards and three touchdowns on 39 targets through six games. He already had three catches for 94 yards against Washington before he exited just ahead of halftime.
That’s a big bounce back for a player who was limited to eight games in his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because of a hamstring injury and a broken collarbone. He finished that year with 30 catches, 368 yards and three touchdowns.
The 49ers have split their two games without him. They lost for the first time this season to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7. Then they came out of the bye and beat the Las Vegas Raiders 38-17 on the strength of five second-half takeaways.
Second-year wideout Jordan Watkins made one of the plays of that game with a leaping 37-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter, all with Deebo Samuel also out.
Samuel was limited in practice this week with a hamstring injury. That means Brock Purdy could be missing both of his top receivers again when the 49ers take on a Cowboys defense that has given up 236 points in nine games.
Kyle Shanahan Gives Cryptic Injury Update on Mike Evans Ahead of 49ers-Cowboys