EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSANTA CLARA, Calif. -- As the San Francisco 49ers sought to renovate their wide receiver depth chart this offseason, general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan didn't know exactly who they would land. They did know what they hoped to add: Proven, veteran wideouts to take charge of a youthful room.The Niners accomplished that in a manner even they hadn't envisioned, signing Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency to become their primary "X" and slot receivers, respectively. Evans and Kirk bring a combined 1,298 receptions, 18,467 yards and 138 touchdowns. But it's their 20 seasons of experience that might be most valuable for a receiver room that is otherwise lacking in that area.Shanahan and Lynch invoked similar descriptions for what Evans and Kirk bring to the mix."I love getting, for lack of better word, men at the position," Shanahan said. "Guys who have done it before and nothing's too big for him."That sounded a lot like a phrase Lynch used less than 24 hours earlier."Those rooms are always interesting ones," Lynch said. "There's a lot of dynamics. I think to have two grown men, I think is really exciting."Evans and Kirk's combined experience should only help a wideout room that otherwise includes the likes of Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing. From that group, only Robinson has played more than 20 games in the NFL.The 49ers figure to enter 2026 with a trio of Evans, Pearsall and Kirk as their top three receivers. While Brandon Aiyuk is technically still on the roster, his future in San Francisco remains bleak after he left the team while rehabbing a knee injury last season. Jauan Jennings is still a free agent but is not expected back.The Niners are also thinking long term when it comes to finding more pass catchers to pair with quarterback Brock Purdy -- since the four-year deal that Evans' signed has no guarantees beyond this season (which essentially makes it a one-year contract) and Kirk signed a one-year pact.In the upcoming NFL draft (April 23-25 on ESPN, ABC, ESPN App), the 49ers have the No. 27 pick, a second-round selection (No. 58) and four fourth-round choices (Nos. 127, 133, 138 and 139). The draft is considered to be deep at the receiver position, and the 49ers are prime candidates to select at least one to pair with their veteran receivers."I don't know about early, but we're certainly in the business of adding good players," Lynch said. "I think at that position, the way these guys [are getting paid], it's probably healthy business to try to add them as much as you can in these drafts."The Niners have plenty of receiver options to explore in the earlier parts of the draft. ESPN's Matt Miller projected 18 receivers to be drafted in the first three rounds in his most recent seven-round mock draft. The record in the common draft era is 17, set in 1994, 2007 and 2022.History suggests that when the Niners have a clear need at the position, they address it in the draft's first couple of days.Since Shanahan and Lynch took over in 2017, the Niners have twice used first-round picks on wideouts, trading up to select Aiyuk at No. 25 in 2020 and picked Pearsall 31st in 2024. They've also selected two wideouts in the second round (Dante Pettis (2018) and Deebo Samuel (2019) and two more in the third round -- Jalen Hurd (2019) and Danny Gray (2022).San Francisco has also showed interest in many of the top receivers who could be in range for them at the end of the first round and into Day 2. The Niners reportedly have or will host Texas A&M's KC Concepcion, Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. and Washington's Denzel Boston. All are projected to go sometime in the first round or, at the latest, early in the second. Texas Tech's Caleb Douglas has also been linked to San Francisco, though he's viewed as more of a Day 3 option by draft analysts.Each brings something different to the table, though it's not hard to envision how any of them would be used.Boston, listed at 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, profiles as an "X" receiver who could be a long-term replacement for Evans while learning from him in the meantime.Cooper evokes comparisons to Samuel for his ability to line up all over and make things happen after the catch. Once the most dominant YAC team in the league, the 49ers dropped to 29th in YAC per reception (4.5 yards) in 2025.That's an area Concepcion could help improve as well. While he's not thought to be as physical as Cooper with the ball in his hands, his burst and separation skills allow him to tack on yards after the catch, though he struggled with drops in college.Of course, the 49ers' need at receiver might be trumped by other positions given some of the holes on the roster. Pass rusher, offensive line and safety could also use upgrades both in the short and long term.No matter what direction the 49ers opt to go, they'll move forward with a whole new outlook at a position that, for many years, had the trio of Samuel, Aiyuk and Jennings leading the charge.Though there were ups and downs with contract disputes and trade demands for all three and things didn't end how they'd hoped with each of them, those situations should help shape how the Niners continue to revamp their receivers room for 2026 and beyond."We kind of rode with those three for a while and had a hell of a ride with those guys," Shanahan said. "I love the guys that we have in our group [now], but we do have young guys, guys who are still trying to show that they can stay healthy and play in this league. Guys that I know that will, but they haven't fully done it yet. And to add some other guys that have done it to mix with those dudes, I think makes a good combination."
