49ers Would Be Unwise to Pursue This Receiver in Free Agency

The 49ers need to add a dominant wide receiver this offseason, but it must not be this fool's gold free agent.

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks on the sidelines before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

It's not difficult to discern that the San Francisco 49ers are weak at the wide receiver position.

Adding a player there this offseason to improve the position is a given. The downside is that free agency isn't filled with the most impactful talent to address it.

There is more fool's gold at wide receiver than actually helpful players in free agency this year. That includes former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans.

The 49ers must steer clear of Evans in free agency. Pursuing him would be unwise, and yet, NFL insider Jason La Canfora has reported that the 49ers have interest in Evans.

Mike Evans is fool's gold

Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) reacts after catching a pass against Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) (obscured) during the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

That interest better not be legitimate or turn into an eventual signing. Evans will be costly as a free agent because of how popular a name he is.

His career is amazing, and he's still a fairly good player. However, the 49ers need to get younger and faster at the wide receiver position.

They must not go after an aging, slow player like Evans (32 years old), who is coming off an injury-ridden season. It would be going backwards, not forward.

Perhaps Evans will give the 49ers' offense the boost they need in 2026, but what about beyond? Is he worth cashing out in free agency when his skills and body will likely decline?

Not at all. The 49ers have enough injury concerns as it is at wide receiver with Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing. Unless they want to continue that theme, which means Evans is perfect to sign.

The 49ers should sign Mike Evans. pic.twitter.com/SeEPYBJuAf

— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) February 23, 2026

Ultimately, it all comes down to his cost. Evans is the top wide receiver free agent. He will have a bunch of teams courting him for his services.

The Buffalo Bills seem like the most obvious and perfect fit. Let him go there. The 49ers can't compete with the Bills and other teams for Evans.

It wouldn't be a smart investment of their salary cap space. Besides the injury concerns with Pearsall and Cowing, all of their top offensive players have that.

George Kittle will be working his way back from a torn Achilles, and Christian McCaffrey is unlikely to be perfectly healthy again. They need to add younger, healthier, and more explosive players.

If they want to continue to have aging stars on their offense, then Evans is perfect for them. But if they want to finally take steps forward, they have to avoid him in free agency.

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