.jpg)
1 hour ago
3
The San Francisco 49ers made a lot of roster moves this offseason to bolster both sides of the ball, but the biggest area where Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch upgraded at was wide receiver.
Three new receivers were added to the offense surrounding Ricky Pearsall. And as ESPN's Nick Wagoner notes, the WR room was the most improved position for the 49ers this offseason.
San Francisco added Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and De'Zhuan Stribling this offseason. All three additions combined to form the biggest upgrade on the roster.
"There is uncertainty in how much Evans and Kirk still have in the tank and whether Stribling can produce right away," Wagoner writes. "But the options alongside Ricky Pearsall are undoubtedly much better than they were a season ago."
The 49ers' WR room isn't just collectively better than it was last year; there is a lot to like about each individual upgrade the 49ers made this offseason as well.
49ers upgraded their WR room with all 3 additions
For starters, the 49ers added Evans as their top option, Stribling as a high-upside target, and then Kirk as some WR depth.
There just so happens to be three WRs the 49ers lost, or will lose this offseason: Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, and Kendrick Bourne.
Adding Evans will replace the offensive production of Jennings, which is a clear win for the 49ers, even if Evans isn't as elite as he was during his prime.
MORE: 49ers searching for possible Brandon Aiyuk trade instead of a simple release
Then, the addition of Stribling will be an upgrade over Aiyuk, even if the 33rd overall pick from the 2026 NFL Draft doesn't produce much at all, as Aiyuk cost the 49ers a ton of money and didn't play once during the 2025 season.
Lastly, while it's just depth, adding Kirk, a veteran WR with plenty of experience in the NFL, including some high-quality seasons, is an upgrade over Bourne as depth in the WR room.
Every addition the 49ers made this offseason directly led to an upgrade for the team. Evans is better than Jennings, Stribling better than Aiyuk, and Kirk better than Bourne.
English (US)