The San Francisco 49ers are earning praise for a more aggressive and calculated approach to free agency compared to last year, positioning themselves as one of the NFL's most improved teams this offseason. Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports ranked the top five teams that made the biggest leaps through free agency and trades, placing the 49ers at No. 5.

The only teams ranked ahead of San Francisco were the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans.


While not everyone was overly impressed with the signing of veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, Sullivan views the move as a key upgrade.

"The Niners struggled to get top-tier production from their wide receiver room in 2025," Sullivan wrote. "Brandon Aiyuk was MIA, and Ricky Pearsall was in and out of the lineup due to injury, so they needed to do something to stabilize and heighten the ceiling of this group. They did just that with Evans, who left Tampa Bay after 12 seasons with the franchise and now arrives in the Bay Area.

"Offensively, this gives San Francisco a bona fide No. 1 option at receiver to pair alongside running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle. Health will be a concern for Evans, who played just eight games last season, but he's a game-tilter when he's on the field."

San Francisco's wide receiver room has undergone notable turnover. In addition to Aiyuk's expected departure, Jauan Jennings is likely to sign elsewhere, while Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore have already joined new teams.

The 49ers also added veteran Christian Kirk to bolster the unit further.


On defense, Sullivan highlighted San Francisco's trade for former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa as another impactful move. The 49ers recorded just 20 sacks in 2025—the fewest in the NFL—and needed reinforcements along the defensive front.

"Part of the reason for that was the likes of Nick Bosa and rookie pass rusher Mykel Williams suffering season-ending injuries, but the franchise also needed some help pressuring the quarterback," Sullivan wrote. "The Niners did that by shipping a third-round pick to Dallas for defensive tackle Odighizuwa, who was third among his position group in pressures (112) over the last two seasons."

Sullivan also pointed to the return of Dre Greenlaw and the additions of offensive line depth pieces Vederian Lowe and Brett Toth as savvy, under-the-radar moves that could help the 49ers heading into the 2026 season.

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