49ers excited about new-look WR room, say farewell to Jauan Jennings

The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver room will look very different in 2026. Brandon Aiyuk, and the drama he generated, is on his way out, and the team also lost Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore in free agency.

The 49ers were surprisingly active in free agency, adding veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to bolster an otherwise relatively inexperienced receiving corps. The team hopes these additions will provide immediate impact.

General manager John Lynch spoke to reporters at the NFL meetings in Phoenix, Arizona, praising the new wideouts and what their presence could mean for the receiving corps.

"Those (wide receiver) rooms are always interesting ones, with a lot of dynamics," Lynch said via Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group. "To have two grown men is really exciting. Hank's (receiver coach Leonard Hankerson) looking forward to it, and we're all looking forward to it, not to disparage anyone we've had."

He added, "Those guys play the game the right way."

Evans, who has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in 11 of his 12 NFL seasons, signed a three-year, $42.5 million deal with San Francisco. The contract can increase through incentives, but 2027 and 2028 are team options—effectively making it a one-year, $14.3 million guaranteed deal.

Evans appears to have been ready for a change of scenery after playing his entire career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He even reportedly turned down a larger offer from the Buccaneers to join the 49ers and play in Kyle Shanahan's offense.

"We got him on a good deal," Lynch said. "He really wanted to be part of our organization. That's humbling."

Farewell, Jauan Jennings

It appears the 49ers have officially closed the door on bringing back wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who surprisingly remains an available free agent.

Some speculated that San Francisco might revisit the idea of re-signing Jennings if interest from other teams failed to materialize. However, John Lynch's recent comments suggest the team has moved on.

"He'll find a good home, and Jauan will go play great football for someone," Lynch said. "I can't say enough for what that guy did; when that guy stepped between the lines, man, he was a presence, and they had to deal with him, and he won us a lot of games."

The market for Jennings has not been what most expected—likely including the receiver and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Around the league, he may be viewed more as a situational offensive contributor than a true WR1 or WR2 option, swaying teams against paying him like the latter.

Jennings is coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 55 receptions for 643 yards and nine touchdowns. He has yet to reach the 1,000-yard mark in his career and totaled just three receptions for 68 yards in the team's two playoff games in January.