The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver room will look very different in 2026. Brandon Aiyuk, and the drama he generated, is on his way out, and the team also lost Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore in free agency.

The 49ers were surprisingly active in free agency, adding veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to bolster an otherwise relatively inexperienced receiving corps. The team hopes these additions will provide immediate impact.

General manager John Lynch spoke to reporters at the NFL meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, praising the new wideouts and what their presence could mean for the receiving corps.

“Mike and Christian, we’re excited about,” Lynch said. “Those [wide receiver] rooms are always interesting ones. There’s a lot of dynamics. I think to have two grown men, I think, is really exciting. I think Hank’s (receiver coach Leonard Hankerson) looking forward to it. I think we’re all looking forward to it.

“That is not to disparage anyone we’ve had, but I think any time you can add players to your team, in general, but especially at that position—those guys play the game the right way.”

Evans, who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 11 of his 12 NFL seasons, signed a three-year, $42.5 million deal with San Francisco. The contract can increase through incentives, but 2027 and 2028 are team options—effectively making it a one-year, $14.3 million guaranteed deal.

“He adds a lot that we believe really fits into what we do well, so we’re excited about that,” Lynch said.

Evans appears to have been ready for a change of scenery after playing his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He even reportedly turned down a larger offer from the Buccaneers to join the 49ers and play in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

“I thought we got him on a good deal,” Lynch said. “He really wanted to be part of our organization, and that’s humbling.”

Lynch noted that they expected Kirk to cost more, too, and were excited about getting him signed.

“He really had opportunities to go play for more elsewhere, but wanted to be a part of what we are all about,” Lynch said. “So we were able to do something on a one-year deal, and we’re excited … He’s always been a respected player that plays the game the right way, and plays our style, so we’re excited about him as well.”

Farewell, Jauan Jennings

It appears the 49ers have officially closed the door on bringing back wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who surprisingly remains an available free agent.

Some speculated that San Francisco might revisit the idea of re-signing Jennings if interest from other teams failed to materialize. However, John Lynch’s recent comments suggest the team has moved on.

“Jauan’s one of my favorite players, and one of Kyle’s favorite players,” Lynch said. “He’ll find a good home, and I think Jauan will go play great football for someone. I can’t say enough for what that guy did for [our team]. When that guy stepped between the lines, man, he was a presence, and they had to deal with him, and won us a lot of football games. I can’t say enough about him.”

The market for Jennings has not been what most expected—likely including the receiver and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Around the league, he may be viewed more as a situational offensive contributor than a true WR1 or WR2 option, swaying teams against paying him like the latter.

Jennings is coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 55 receptions for 643 yards and nine touchdowns. He has yet to reach the 1,000-yard mark in his career and totaled just three receptions for 68 yards in the team’s two playoff games in January.