There's a world in which veteran receiver Mike Evans ends up on a different team in 2026. And it's not the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Buffalo Bills were high on Evans’ list of potential teams to sign with in 2026 before he joined the San Francisco 49ers. But after Buffalo traded for receiver DJ Moore before free agency began, Evans went on to sign a three-year, $60.4 million deal with the 49ers.
It's a wild sliding-doors moment for Evans, who has been a steady target for quarterback Brock Purdy at the age of 33. He has 31 total targets in four of the 49ers’ five games, even after leaving Week 2 early with an injury. Those targets have produced 326 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 5, he turned in a seven-catch, 113-yard performance.
Evans has been a driver of the 49ers’ high-powered offense in 2026. San Francisco has scored 154 points through five games, third in the NFL at 30.8 per game.
Given Evans' clear interest in playing for a contender, it makes sense that he wanted to join a Bills team with a former MVP quarterback in Josh Allen and an offense primed for a Super Bowl run. However, he's seeing the same in San Francisco with Purdy pushing for his first MVP and an undefeated squad at the top of the NFC going into Week 6.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers nearly lost vital free agent signing to Buffalo Bills