The San Francisco 49ers had the chance to make up for what was a rough season. Sure, they made it to the playoffs, but they were eliminated convincingly by the rival Seattle Seahawks, who won Super Bowl 60 on their home turf.
On Monday, the tampering window opened for NFL free agency, and the Niners didn't waste any time making a splash.
Multiple reports indicate San Francisco agreed to terms with Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the 49ers and Evans agreed to a three-year deal worth $60.4 million.
Adding Evans is huge for the Niners as, when healthy, can put up over 1,000 receiving yards per year.
But with this addition, that means Jauan Jennings is as good as gone.
49ers addition of Mike Evans proves Jauan Jennings is as good as gone
The wide receiver position needed to be addressed this offseason. General manager John Lynch let it be known Brandon Aiyuk won't remain with the team after the highly-paid receiver went full ghost mode last year as he recovered from injury.
But then there was the Jennings factor.
Sure, Jennings did play for the 49ers this year, unlike Aiyuk, but not without some contract drama. Last summer, Jennings had requested a trade as he sought a new contract. While he dealt with a calf injury that knocked him out for most of training camp, Jennings did agree to terms on a $7.5 million restructured deal.
In 15 games, Jennings caught 55 passes for 643 yards and nine touchdowns on 90 targets.
Jennings had a productive year in terms of scoring, so it wasn't a given that he'd return to San Francisco. In fact, Schefter said earlier on Monday during The Pat McAfee Show, "It looks like the [49ers] will be losing" Jennings to free agency.
So, it looks like he'll be ready to cash in on the open market. Spotrac has Jenning's market value set at $22.6 million per year, which would rank 19th among wide receivers.
Letting one of your more productive players leave for free agency isn't ideal. But for the 49ers, they had the chance to bring in a bonafide Hall of Famer in Evans. This past season was a rough one for Evans due in part to dealing with two injuries. But when healthy, 1,000 receiving yards is a virtual guarantee.
The wide receiver position was a huge question mark for the Niners heading into the new league year.
But now, they land one of the top receivers in the game, even if they have to bid farewell to another receiver in the process.