The 49ers entered the 2026 offseason this week wanting to upgrade their receiving corps and pass rush.
Check and check.
Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch spent the first week of the 2026 NFL calendar signing future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans and making a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to improve their interior pass rush with Osa Odighizuwa. They also made some additions on the margins and lost some players to free agency, while others remained unsigned with a chance to come back to San Francisco.
Let’s run down San Francisco’s moves since the free agent negotiating period began Monday.
Mike Evans brings No. 1 option to receiving corps
On paper, Evans represents the most accomplished receiver Shanahan has had since coming to the 49ers, and perhaps since coaching Julio Jones when he was the offensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons. Evans is expected to become one of Brock Purdy’s top targets to complement Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, when the latter returns from his Achilles tear suffered in January.
“I feel like they were one piece away, and I think that I’m that piece. I look forward to coming here and proving that,” Evans said in a Zoom call with reporters Thursday.
Brandon Aiyuk won’t be back with the team — the 49ers are still exploring a potential trade and had not granted him his outright release as of Thursday — and Jauan Jennings appears poised to sign elsewhere with Evans taking the top spot in the receiver room.
Third-year pro Ricky Pearsall is currently projected to start, but Shanahan could address the position further in next month’s draft. Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing currently round out the group.
The 49ers will see their former wideout Kendrick Bourne twice a year as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
Skyy Moore, the 49ers’ return man last season, signed with the Green Bay Packers.
Osa Odighizuwa is an attempt to bring back identity
The 49ers finished dead last in sacks last season (29) while their starting defensive tackles combined for half a sack. So Lynch felt it was imperative to have some juice at “three technique” sending the No. 92 overall draft pick in the third round to the Cowboys for Odighizuwa, one of the most productive interior pass rushers in the NFL last season.
His 52 pressures ranked sixth among defensive tackles, according to Pro Football Focus, while none of San Francisco’s regulars had more than 16. Odighizuwa — who signed a four-year, $80-million deal with Dallas last spring — will headline a rotation featuring second-year players Alfred Collins and C.J. West.
Incumbent starters Jordan Elliott signed with the Tennessee Titans following former coordinator Robert Saleh while the 49ers decided not to tender Kalia Davis.
Adding Odighizuwa could allow the 49ers on drafting another edge defender with the No. 27 pick in next month’s draft.
Bryce Huff retires from football
The edge position became more of a need on Thursday after speedy pass rusher Bryce Huff announced his retirement on Instagram.
Huff turns 28 next month. He played six seasons, including his first four with the New York Jets and with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.
Huff said he’s retiring to start a company called “Neighborstone” aimed to create fire suppression technology for lithium ion batteries. Huff said the company will build safety infrastructure for when those batteries become flammable.
“This mission will save lives and protect critical infrastructure as battery technology continues to scale,” Huff said on Instagram.
Huff finished his career with 23 sacks in 81 games. He led San Francisco with four last season, two years removed from his career high 10 with the New York Jets in 2023. It led to a three-year, $51.1 million contract with the Eagles that included $34 million in guarantees. But he only lasted one year in Philadelphia before coming to San Francisco on a reworked deal that saw the 49ers pay him $5.3 million in 2025.
Dre Greenlaw returns, but in what capacity?
The 49ers made another splashy move on Thursday by agreeing to terms on a one-year, $7.5 million deal with linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who spent last season with the Denver Broncos after his first six with San Francisco.
Where Greenlaw fits in remains to be seen, but his contract indicates he’ll at least compete to start with Dee Winters for the “Will” linebacker role. The loser of the battle will likely play “Sam” on the strong side of the defense. Though it could be that linebackers are deployed differently under new coordinator Raheem Morris.
Regardless of where he plays, Greenlaw should bring back his fiery attitude that inspired his teammates during his first stint with the 49ers. There were times in 2023 when he played like one of the NFL’s best young linebackers, but an Achilles tear in Super Bowl LVIII allowed him to play in just two games in 2024 before he missed nine games last season in Denver due to injuries and a one-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct towards an official.
If healthy, Greenlaw represents a significant upgrade over Luke Gifford, who struggled on defense but was named a Pro Bowler for his work on special teams.
Eddy Pineiro brought back to stabilize kicking game
The 49ers moved on from former third-round pick Jake Moody after one game last season and landed on Piñeiro, who became the most statistically accurate in the NFL after signing. He made 28 of 29 field goals and his only miss was a 64 yarder at the end of the first half of the Dec. 22 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
Piñeiro reportedly signed a four-year, $17 million contract with $10 million in guarantees. The guarantees rank 10th and his $4.25 million average salary ranks 15th among kickers, according to Overthecap.com. The 49ers also re-signed long snapper Jon Weeks. Punter and holder Thomas Morstead, 40, is unsigned.
Can Jake Tonges hold the line until Kittle returns?
The 49ers brought back No. 2 tight end Jake Tonges on a modest two-year, $8 million contract. His importance to the offense could very well outweigh his contract if Kittle has to miss extended time in 2026 while he comes off the Achilles injury.
Tonges filled in admirably for Kittle when he missed six games with a hamstring injury early in the season. Tonges had 40 catches for 366 yards and five touchdowns — and ranked as PFF’s 12th-highest graded tight end in the NFL for the season. There’s a chance Tonges works as the starter until Kittle’s return, barring an unexpected move in free agency or early in the draft.
Will upgrading offensive line help vs. elite NFC West defenses?
The Super Bowl champ Seattle Seahawks are the 49ers’ litmus test. And given the way their last two meetings went, it’s clear San Francisco needed to improve in the offensive trenches against Seattle’s daunting front.
It remains to be seen if interior lineman Brett Toth can be the answer. The 49ers signed him to compete to fill the pending vacancy at left guard after spending three of his first four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and another with the Carolina Panthers. Toth started six career games, with four coming last year between guard and center.
San Francsisco also added former New England Patriots tackle Vederian Lowe, presumably to be the “swing” tackle backing up both Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz. Lowe started 25 games over his first four seasons, including 13 in 2024. Austin Pleasants was also brought back after appearing in 15 games last year, including a start in place of Williams.
Other moves on the margins
The 49ers tendered defensive end Sam Okuayinonu, who had 3.0 sacks in each of the last two seasons. He started 12 games last season due to season-ending ACL tears for Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, and could see more competition for playing time should San Francisco add to defensive end in the draft. Defensive end Robert Beal Jr. was not tendered and agreed on a deal with the Miami Dolphins.
The 49ers brought back running back Patrick Taylor, who missed all of last season with an injury suffered in August. Taylor will have a chance to compete for backup and special teams role.