The San Francisco 49ers have started the offseason strong, nailing a number of needs early in free agency, with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star being the most notable addition so far.
The 49ers got strong value on that deal, which reports suggest amounts to essentially a one-year, $14 million signing with option bonuses for 2027 and 2028. While Evans is coming off a year with multiple injuries, that contract is worth it for a player of his caliber, given the 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons he had
prior to 2025.
But that wasn’t the only key signing. The 49ers brought back Dre Greenlaw on a one-year deal. They added receiver depth with Christian Kirk. They signed a swing tackle in Vederian Lowe. They brought back special teamers Luke Gifford and Eddy Piniero. And they brought in Nate Hobbs for cornerback depth. Not to mention, they traded for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
With all the moves and money + draft capital still to spare, are the 49ers officially back to contender status?
San Francisco has been getting lots of praise for its offseason. They haven’t overspent, while addressing most of their key needs. Going into the offseason, they needed wide receivers with Jauan Jennings entering free agency.
Mike Evans is a No. 1 wideout, as long as he stays healthy. Behind him, San Francisco now has Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk, who should be a good fit in Kyle Shanahan’s system. The big issue here is health, as has been the case for San Francisco for quite some time.
When you look back at the 2023 season, which was when the 49ers were last truly contenders, they had a really strong receiving core of All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk, 1,000 All-Purpose yards with Deebo Samuel, and Jauan Jennings. Not to mention Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle in the fold too.
I don’t think this group is as strong as the 2023 one, but it doesn’t have to be, as long as they can stay healthy (Kittle and McCaffrey included).
That team also had a talented defense with Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave up the middle and Nick Bosa off the edge. They had high-level cornerback play from Charvarius Ward, who led the league in pass breakups, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw playing at a high level, and MVP-like seasons from Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey.
Do the 49ers have that in 2026? I’m not sure their defensive line is as strong against the run. The cornerback play isn’t as strong. Dre Greenlaw is back, but has to prove he’s at that 2023 level. And Christian McCaffrey is coming off a 400-touch season.
Still, with all that considered, we’re seeing how hard it is nowadays to build a team. And that’s why the 49ers still look, on paper, like a top three to five team in the NFC. Looking at the NFC, the Rams really bolstered their defense with multiple additions at cornerback. They look like a contender. The Seahawks lost players, but they still seem in good position to compete in 2026. Behind that? There’s an argument that the 49ers are No. 3.
I think San Francisco has upgraded more than all the NFC North teams. The Eagles made some key moves, but there’s still the question of A.J. Brown’s status. The Cowboys still have defensive issues. And I don’t see any of the NFC South teams as a better contender than the 49ers.
With all that, I think the 49ers are inching towards contender status. The draft will tell us more, but even if San Francisco isn’t as strong as it was in 2023, they’re looking more and more like a contender this offseason.
