Despite fielding the NFL's fifth-ranked passing offense last season, the 49ers believe this year's receiving corps has the potential to be even better.
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak spoke with reporters before Wednesday's training camp practice and shared his early impressions of the revamped unit. When asked whether Evans' arrival has elevated the level of competition, Kubiak didn't hesitate.
"Absolutely," Kubiak answered. "I mean, Mike being in there is one thing. He's a vet, he's a pro, he knows how to work, he knows how to compete every day and get better. But in my opinion, that whole room, it's just taken a big step from last year to this year. There's continuity. There's guys who maybe missed time last year, between Jordan [Watkins] and [Jacob Cowing] in camp. But they're out there every day. They're getting better.
"And I just see a lot of growth across the board. And those guys come out every day with the right mindset. They're on their assignments, they're working, they're competing, and it's going to be fun to watch that room kind of become what it does over this next however many weeks of training camp.
"It's one of the positions where we have a lot of competition, and I'm excited to see where it goes."
Kubiak has also been impressed by Stribling's work ethic. While he acknowledged the rookie still has plenty of room to grow, he believes Stribling's willingness to be coached will accelerate his development at the NFL level.
Stribling and second-year receiver Jordan Watkins spent part of the summer in Nashville, Tennessee, working with quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Mac Jones. The extra time together helped build chemistry with the team's signal-callers and could improve both receivers' chances of making an impact during the 2026 season.
"Jordan's taken a step," Kubiak said. "He went through a rookie year with ups and downs of injuries, and he's been a lot more consistent. And you like to see that. He was like that in the offseason. He looks that way now.
"I think the work with Brock over the summer, for all those guys, was huge, not just from the football [standpoint], but just the camaraderie, and just being together and working together. That's always an added benefit for those guys.
"And Strib as well. I think Strib was there, and Strib was here a lot in the summer working and training, so. Again, that's all good. It's all just a starting point, though, and it gets us off to a good start."
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