The San Francisco 49ers made a splash on Monday, agreeing to a three-year deal with longtime Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans.

One fan of the move is Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, who believes the addition could have a major impact on his former team's offense.


"What happened yesterday with Mike Evans is big," Rice said Tuesday on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game. "It's big—I'm serious—because now, we actually got this guy. He's that threat that opposing teams are gonna have to pay attention to."

Rice believes Evans could become a major weapon for quarterback Brock Purdy in the red zone, using his 6-foot-5, 231-pound frame to win contested catches and overpower defenders.

When describing Evans' potential role, Rice reached back into 49ers history, comparing him to former San Francisco receiver R.C. Owens, who was famously nicknamed "Alley Oop."

"They would just throw it up, and 'Alley Oop' would go get it, and I think the same thing is going to happen with Mike Evans," Rice said. "So here we go. This is going to be exciting."

Some observers have pointed to Evans' age as a potential concern. The receiver is entering his 13th NFL season and is now 32. Rice, however, dismissed those worries, reflecting on his own longevity in the league.


"At 32, I felt like I was like a rookie," Rice shared. "This guy's still got a lot of fire, and what he brings to that locker room, too—the experience. To see this guy work every day, his preparation, these younger guys are gonna be able to witness that. You can't even put a price on that. You can tell, I am really fired up right now."

Rice also believes Evans will bring a strong work ethic to the 49ers' wide receiver room. Historically, Evans is one of only two players in NFL history to record 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons—the other is Rice.

That example could be particularly valuable for younger receivers such as third-year wideout Ricky Pearsall and developing targets Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing.

Rice is also eager to see the chemistry develop between Purdy and Evans as the new-look offense takes shape.

"Him and Brock, they're gonna have to work together to build that chemistry," Rice added. "But I think he has all the tools, and players are gonna sit back and watch this potential Hall of Famer go to work."

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