Kyle Juszczyk says Mike Evans is thriving in San Francisco’s red-zone work as 49ers rookies push ahead of training camp

With the calendar halfway through July and training camp nearing, the “football-free” part of the year is starting to feel like the rearview mirror for the San Francisco 49ers. In a day-to-day look at the club’s camp build, Kyle Juszczyk focused on what he has seen from the team in practice, singling out the influence of veteran Mike Evans in red-zone work.

Juszczyk’s assessment was direct and enthusiastic. He said that expectations for Evans were already high because “he’s a Hall of Famer,” and added that Evans “blew us all away.” The full thrust of the comment was about performance under pressure, Juszczyk said Evans was “un-guardable” in practice, “especially in the red zone,” and that the receiver “fits in so well.”

That kind of report is more than locker-room praise because the red zone tends to expose timing and chemistry issues faster than other parts of the field. For a team, having a veteran who can quickly understand leverage, route concepts, and coverage tendencies can shorten the learning curve for everyone around him, including quarterbacks and the supporting cast that must execute in tight space.

The 49ers’ camp approach also appears to be emphasizing the development of younger players. The July window has become the point in which rookies and early newcomers are expected to separate themselves in fundamentals, grasp of the playbook, and reliability during high-tempo reps. In the same daily update, the team’s rookies were described as “ahead” as they move toward training camp, a sign that at least some of the early installation is landing.

For San Francisco, this matters because the offseason priorities do not end when the calendar flips. The club is working to get its offensive identity settled before meaningful game-speed work begins, and that includes how veterans and rookies interact on scripted sequences that look like real scoring chances. A red-zone standout, as Juszczyk described Evans, can also change how defenses align, which can open up different matchups for the rest of the formation.

There is also a measurement angle. Reports from practice are useful, but they do not replace the checks that come later when teams are more willing to test coverages, raise physicality, and tighten execution standards. So while Juszczyk’s praise about Evans provides a clear storyline, the next question is whether that same sharpness shows up once training camp’s practice conditions become more demanding.

As the 49ers head deeper into the preseason build, fans will likely focus on two linked storylines. First, whether Evans’ early red-zone impact translates into sustained production during camp reps and preseason preparation. Second, whether the rookies’ early progress holds as the playbook grows heavier and expectations rise, particularly in scenarios that require crisp timing and disciplined technique.

In short, halfway through July, the 49ers’ narrative is already turning toward camp: Juszczyk believes Evans is making a difference where it counts most, and the organization is also indicating that its younger group is not waiting for the season to start before taking steps forward.