The early wave of free agency is coming to a close with the majority of the top free agents signed.
As of now, the San Francisco 49ers have only signed three outside players. They got their splash surprise signing with Mike Evans on day one of free agency.
Since then, they have only added two offensive linemen for depth, Vederian Lowe and Brett Toth. It’s been a quiet start to free agency for the 49ers, which isn’t anything new.
And it’s not like they haven’t improved their team after signing Evans. With that said, here is how the 49ers stack up in the NFC West division after two days of free agency.
Where the 49ers stand in the division
Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches a touchdown against Carolina Panthers cornerback Mike Jackson (2) during the first half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Adding Lowe and Toth does nothing to shift the 49ers’ spot in the NFC West. While it’s nice they added needed depth, it’s not going to move the needle in divisional matchups.
The only free agent signing that has mattered is Evans. Against the Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers couldn’t do anything through the air. Seattle had them in a vacuum seal.
Now that Evans is aboard, the 49ers have a receiver who can do damage against them. And if the Seahawks don’t want that to happen, they’ll need to scheme around him.
That will open up the running game better for the 49ers, as well as other receivers, to be effective. The same goes for their matchups with the Los Angeles Rams.
Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, two terrific cornerbacks, are now with the Rams, addressing their top position of need. The 49ers needed to answer that, which they accomplished with Evans.
If they whiffed on Evans, the 49ers were going to be in an extremely difficult position. However, despite adding Evans, the 49ers are still sitting as the third-best team in the NFC West.
The Arizona Cardinals are clearly a team dead on arrival, so I won’t bother mentioning them. Only the Seahawks and the Rams are the real threats in the division.
If the 49ers want to get on par or ahead of them, then they’ll need more than just Evans to do so. Maybe adding another impactful pass rusher will do the trick.
There are still a few quality ones out there for them to sign, like Cameron Jordan. Either way, Evans is a great signing to improve their passing game, but they need more to get to the top of the toughest division in football.
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