The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the busier teams this offseason, signing eight free agents, while also bringing back a couple of their own free agents.
The most notable signing was wide receiver Mike Evans, who left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 11 seasons to join the 49ers on a three-year, $42.4 million deal. But San Francisco also added a swing tackle (Vederian Lowe), brought back Dre Greenlaw, got another receiver with Christian Kirk, signed a cornerback in Nate Hobbs, and more in an eventful
offseason thus far.
We’ve seen analysts praise the 49ers, calling them one of the most improved teams through the early part of free agency, as they haven’t really lost any key free agents while bringing in talent to improve a roster that won 13 games last year.
Executives, on the other hand, have some conflicting thoughts, though, on the 49ers offseason.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando polled executives across the NFL to give their unfiltered thoughts on every team’s offseason, and the 49ers got some mixed reviews for their moves, specifically due to signing players that have injury histories.
“Everyone starts talking about the substation and, ‘Why are we always hurt?’” an exec said, per Sando. “It’s because you sign hurt players. Mike Evans is going to miss 4-6 games this year, Dre Greenlaw is going to miss eight and you are going to wonder why your players are always hurt.”
But, another praised the Evans deal, given that the three-year contract is essentially a one-year, $14 million deal with team options for 2027 and 2028.
“A one-year deal for $14 million, that is low risk (on Evans),” another exec said. “It gives them a big body. You get a vet in that locker room at that position. I do not mind it for a one-year rental.”
Sando did note, though, that there were conflicting opinions ‘over just how much Evans would help the offense.’
“They are going for it, man,” another exec said. “The red zone production is going to go up even more. Now you have the backside X that can win one-on-one.”
“This guy runs 19 mph,” this exec said. “He is a back-shoulder, possession X, which has not been Brock Purdy’s game, and he’s not going to run in the middle of the field like Jauan Jennings did on those bang 8s (skinny posts) and daggers and the deep-ins, catching it on the go and being a run-after-catch guy.”
There was one move universally lauded by execs, though: the trade for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
“That was a good get and a total upgrade,” one of the execs said, per Sando.
Overall, many of the opinions centered around Evans, who is coming off an injury-laden season but had 10 straight 1,000-yard campaigns before that. At one year and $14 million, there isn’t too much risk with that contract, but the 49ers are depending a lot on Evans being a major contributor at wide receiver this season.
Without him, they may see struggles with their pass-catchers like they did in 2025.
