The San Francisco 49ers are looking for two positions this offseason as their biggest needs: wide receiver and pass rusher.
Of the two, the wide receiver search is the more important one. Jauan Jennings is a free agent, Brandon Aiyuk is about to be cut, and with George Kittle coming off a torn Achilles, the 49ers need more weapons to begin the season.
Fortunately for the 49ers, they got some good news on Mike Evans, the top free-agent wide receiver this offseason. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed the four criteria Evans has for a team in free agency, and the 49ers meet them all, making them a good landing spot.
49ers meet all 4 of Mike Evans’ criteria for FA landing spot
“He wants a quarterback he believes in, a chance at a Super Bowl, a top-shelf offensive coordinator and the promise of high-volume touches,” Fowler reports.
As Fowler also notes, “Only so many teams fit that mold.” And fortunately for the 49ers, they are one of those possible fits.
1. Quarterback he believes in
Brock Purdy is the 49ers quarterback, and while there might be some squabble over where he’s ranked in the NFL, he’s more than good enough to be Evans’ quarterback. This is a match.
2. A chance at a Super Bowl
There aren’t many teams that would fit the bill of a Super Bowl contender more than the 49ers do. They have a good defense, great coaching, and a willing spender.
With a great all-around roster, despite the tough NFC West, the 49ers, as long as they can stay healthy, should be easy Super Bowl contenders in 2026. This is also a match.
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3. Top-shelf offensive coordinator
While the 49ers don’t have an offensive coordinator calling plays, they do have their head coach, Kyle Shanahan, as the play caller for the offense.
And while there are some great offensive coordinators around the league, the 49ers with Shanahan are arguably one of the best-coached offenses in the NFL. This is also a clear match between the 49ers and Evans.
4. High-volume touches
Last, and certainly not least, is the high-volume workload Evans is seeking. In the 49ers’ offense, with Jennings and Aiyuk potentially gone, and Ricky Pearsall’s inconsistencies, Evans should get plenty of work.
If he signed with the 49ers, he’d instantly be their number one receiver. Even when Kittle returns, Evans should still see plenty of targets per-game.
Overall, Evans and the 49ers match all four of the criteria the potential future Hall of Fame wide receiver laid out, according to Fowler.
The 49ers have Shanahan calling plays, they’re a Super Bowl contender, will give Evans plenty of work, and have Purdy, a top quarterback, leading the offense. This fit makes a lot of sense.
