Brandon Aiyuk has made it clear he no longer wants to play for the team, and the 49ers appear ready to move on. Meanwhile, Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore are set to hit free agency next month. Ricky Pearsall, now entering his third NFL season after an injury-plagued 2025 campaign, remains a developing piece rather than a sure thing.
There's also uncertainty surrounding tight end George Kittle, who is working his way back from an Achilles injury. While Kittle hopes to be ready for Week 1, his availability early in the season isn't guaranteed.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, who turns 33 in August, is scheduled to become a free agent and has stated his intention to keep playing. Injuries limited him to a career-low eight games in 2025. Still, before last season, he had never recorded fewer than 1,004 receiving yards in a year — a testament to his consistency as one of the NFL's premier pass catchers.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton recently identified the 49ers as one of the top five landing spots for Evans in free agency.
"The 49ers should be aggressive in acquiring receiver talent, even if it means bargain-bin shopping for a veteran past his prime," Moton wrote. "Assuming Kittle misses some time, quarterback Brock Purdy will need a set of reliable hands in the passing game, other than running back Christian McCaffrey out of the backfield.
"Evans can provide a veteran presence, and if he's willing to use his frame to block on the edge, it would be an added bonus for head coach Kyle Shanahan's rushing attack."
Evans is entering his 13th NFL season and would not represent a long-term solution. However, he could offer immediate stability and red-zone production while the 49ers continue developing younger receivers and await Kittle's return.
A first-round pick in 2014, Evans has totaled 13,052 receiving yards and 108 touchdowns in his NFL career, numbers that suggest he can potentially be impactful within San Francisco's offense.