49ersbelieve Mike Evans is missing piece to Super Bowl contention: Hard not to fan girl

SANTA CLARA — Even now, nearly four months after Mike Evans left the comfortable life and Hall of Fame-worthy career he built in Tampa Bay to help pull the 49ers back to Super Bowl contention, his new Bay Area teammates do a bit of a double-take, realizing he’s on their team.“Every single day I see Mike, I just go, ‘Wow, Mike Evans is here,’” 49ers tight end George Kittle said.“I think I’m annoying him at this point, but I pinch myself every day.”Or, as veteran tackle Trent Williams put it: “It’s hard not to fan girl over a guy like that.”That is high praise coming from a couple of players who will likely don gold Hall of Fame jackets themselves one day.

But it’s more than worthy considering the 12 years of credentials the 32-year-old Evans brings to the 49ers and the difference he can make on an offense that needs a reliable, productive wide receiver.And not just any type of receiver.For years, the 49ers’ most productive pass-game targets were hybrid-type players including Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.Big-time weapons, no doubt, especially with offensive mastermind Kyle Shanahan scheming up ways to get them the ball.But neither was the type of traditionally built, skilled wide receiver that offenses typically build their pass game around.Evans is the epitome of a classic wide receiver, and then some, as an imposing-framed, 6-foot-5, 220-pound receiver who offers quarterbacks a big, inviting target at all levels of the field.That was particularly evident when Evans crushed the 49ers’ defense by coming up with multiple touchdown catches in a dominant red-zone period during OTA practice this week.It was vintage Evans, albeit just a sneak peek of what’s to come.“Incredible,” marveled Kittle.Evans’ ability to be a difference-maker in that part of the field, where his size, strength and catching skills give him a huge advantage over defensive backs, will be a welcome addition to the 49ers.“You’ve got to win in tight situation...