Signing wide receiver Mike Evans pretty much indicated the San Francisco 49ers wouldn't be staging any re-sign deal with free-agent wideout Jauan Jennings this offseason.
But, if there were any doubts whether or not Jennings could possibly return after remaining unsigned over the first week of free agency, those were erased in full by the Niners' latest roster move.
According to Fox Sports insider Jordan Schultz, San Francisco is inking veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, beefing up a receiver room that entered the offseason with all kinds of question marks:
Sources: The #49ers are signing WR Christian Kirk to a 1-year, $6M deal.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 16, 2026
Kirk is the latest WR addition in San Fran, after they also signed WR Mike Evans. pic.twitter.com/LyR7snOyGs
The 29-year-old Kirk spent his first four years in the NFC West, playing against the 49ers aplenty when he was with the Arizona Cardinals. He subsequently changed conferences and coasts in 2022 when he inked a lucrative deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, then spent 2025 with the Houston Texans.
Kirk's lone year in Houston was rocky, tallying a career-low 239 yards on 28 receptions. But he's only three years removed from a 787-yard campaign back with the Jags.
And it's not as if the Niners need a true WR1 anyway, at least not as long as Evans stays healthy and productive. Even the third-year pro, Ricky Pearsall, should be cemented above Kirk on the depth chart.
As for Jennings? Well, his bid to find a new home in free agency hasn't exactly gone well, and he remains unsigned.
That'll undoubtedly change at some point in the not-too-distant future, as Jennings was a fixture in San Francisco's offense for years, and plenty of teams could use his services.
But, in light of the Kirk signing, there's no way Jennings will return to the Bay Area now or anytime soon.