San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans is going to decline eventually.

Father Time comes for everyone, and Evans will turn 33 before playing his first regular-season snap in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

But has the six-time Pro Bowler already reached that point? One anonymous NFL scout seems to believe so.

“He’s declining, but he’s sort of timeless, still big and athletic and gets open,” the scout told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “Will be interesting to see how Kyle Shanahan utilizes him in different ways.”

The first half of that assessment sounds concerning for a 49ers team that just handed Evans a three-year contract reportedly worth up to $60.4 million.

The second half, however, explains exactly why San Francisco was willing to make that investment.

Evans remains an imposing physical presence at 6-foot-5, 231 pounds, but his game has never been entirely reliant on overwhelming defensive backs with size.

The veteran knows how to create separation despite never possessing game-breaking speed, which has allowed him to produce regardless of who is throwing him the football.

That understanding of the position isn’t suddenly going to disappear because he celebrated another birthday.

Still ... those questioning Evans have at least some evidence to support their concern.

After beginning his career with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns, Evans was limited to 30 receptions for 368 yards across eight appearances in 2025 due to an early-season hamstring strain and a midseason collarbone break.

His 12.3 yards per reception were also the lowest mark of his career.

Those numbers certainly resemble a decline without the proper context ... but Evans’ availability and health were the greater problems.

Injuries interrupted his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and prevented him from ever establishing a rhythm. It marked the first time he appeared in fewer than 13 games during his 12-year career.

That makes writing him off feel premature.

The 49ers also don’t need Evans to produce like the 25-year-old version of himself.

Shanahan merely needs the future Hall of Famer to provide Brock Purdy with a reliable option on the outside. If Evans remains dangerous near the goal line, that alone could make him invaluable to San Francisco’s offense.

Purdy won't be forced to feed Evans the ball. He'll still need to find ways to get it into the hands of Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Ricky Pearshall and Christian Kirk.

Evans has recorded at least 11 touchdown receptions in four of his last six healthy seasons. That skill should translate perfectly to an offense designed to manufacture favorable matchups.

Perhaps Evans has lost a step. Most receivers entering their 13th season have.

But “declining” and “no longer dangerous” aren’t interchangeable ... and Shanahan may be the ideal coach to demonstrate the difference.