The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of roster voids and holes to fill this offseason, whether it's through free agency or the NFL Draft.
None are bigger than at wide receiver, though, especially in light of Brandon Aiyuk's imminent departure and the potential absence of Jauan Jennings if he signs elsewhere via free agency. Combine that with two-year pro Ricky Pearsall's ongoing injury concerns, and the balance of the Niners' wide receiver room is looking awfully bleak.
San Francisco never had a realistic chance to draft Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans way back in 2014, having owned the No. 30 overall pick in contrast to what the Bucs used on him, No. 7 overall.
But, considering the 49ers have had more draft misses than hits at wide receiver during head coach Kyle Shanahan's tenure, grabbing the soon-to-be free-agent Evans would be an excellent thing to do.
And it might be set up perfectly, too.
Mike Evans would be 49ers' top free-agent WR target
Evans' future in Tampa Bay remains unclear. The veteran will turn age 33 this offseason and is coming off an injury-plagued 2025 campaign that limited him to just 368 yards on 30 catches for three touchdowns over eight games -- the first time in his 12-year career in which he didn't crest 1,000 yards in a single season.
That said, Evans has mostly stayed healthy and has thrived with a varying array of quarterbacks and systems getting him the ball.
That's the kind of presence Shanahan would love to have.
Now, the Buccaneers may look to re-sign Evans this offseason, and the franchise tag remains in play, too. But there's a buzz about the six-time Pro Bowler wanting to sign with a contender this offseason, which certainly puts a team like the Niners in play. And while San Francisco would likely want to get both younger and healthier at the position, Evans' pre-2025 track record is simply too good to overlook.
Shanahan is notoriously hard on his wide receivers, and even if the 49ers use their top pick from this upcoming April's draft on one, that prospect would likely take a year before fully acclimating to the head coach's complex offense.
In the past (see 2019 with a veteran like Emmanuel Sanders), Shanahan has used experienced receivers in prominent roles while letting younger pass catchers develop.
In Evans' case, he'd be a bona fide big-bodied threat with some serious respect attached to his name, thereby ensuring other weapons like Pearsall wouldn't be shouldering the load.
Should the Bucs allow Evans to test the market, there's no question he'll command some enticing offers.
If the Niners can figure out a way to get in on that, financially, it'd serve them well to make the future Hall of Famer one of their primary targets.