The San Francisco 49ers badly need wide receivers this offseason.
It's a situation that has largely grown out of control, thanks to Brandon Aiyuk's AWOL act last year and the fact Jauan Jennings might not return once he hits the free-agent market, Couple those elements with Ricky Pearsall's injury-prone first two years, and it's not hard to see why the Niners need to treat the need delicately.
So, it's not exactly shocking to see San Francisco as a plausible free-agent destination for Tampa Bay Buccaneers future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans, who'll hit the open market this offseason despite rumblings he'd prefer to stay with the only team he's ever been associated with.
One longtime NFL insider is backing up those claims with an apparent report the 49ers will indeed be interested.
Jason La Canfora highlights 49ers as potential Mike Evans suitor
According to Sportsboom's Jason La Canfora, the Niners are one of several teams that should be in on the Evans market.
Of the pairing, La Canfora wrote:
"San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the game's elite offensive minds, and the team will head into the offseason parting with Brandon Aiyuk and already moved on from longtime stalwart pass catcher Deebo Samuel the season prior."
Additionally, La Canfora suggested both the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots as suitors, especially in light of Evans wanting to weigh stability at quarterback, his own fit within the offense and the chances of winning a Super Bowl.
Granted, La Canfora hasn't always delivered on reports, and his verbiage on Evans' potential destination is more suggestive than reportive.
That said, linking the perennial 1,000-yard receiver to the Bay Area isn't completely out of reach.
Considering head coach Kyle Shanahan's tendency of being tough on young receivers, having an established veteran like Evans would automatically give San Francisco a true WR1 despite an injury-plagued 2025 campaign.
Of course, it's just as possible Evans' agent is feeding this kind of material to encourage the Bucs to ensure their preferred wideout goes nowhere this offseason by upping their own offer.
Still, the thought of Evans switching coasts is enticing.