John Lynch, San Francisco 49ers
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General manger John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers looks on prior to in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers have already made one of the biggest and most aggressive moves of the 2026 NFL offseason.
Shortly after the free agency window opened, the 49ers agreed to terms on a lucrative three-year, $60.4 million contract with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star wide receiver Mike Evans. After badly needing more wide receiver help last season, the team wasted no time addressing the issue.
Evans has been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL for years. He will now take his talents to San Francisco to team up with star quarterback Brock Purdy.
While the move for Evans is still fresh and the 49ers are in a much better position at the wide receiver spot, the 49ers are being urged to target another splash move to bring in a wideout.
San Francisco 49ers Pushed to Pursue Another Splash at Wide Receiver
No, the front office and John Lynch would not need to pay out another big contract in free agency to add this wide receiver. Instead, they would bring in a young piece for the future in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Pro Football Focus analyst Dalton Wasserman has named Indiana Hoosiers wideout Omar Cooper Jr. as the “perfect fit” for San Francisco in the NFL Draft.
Cooper is the younger brother of longtime NFL wide receiver Amari Cooper.
“One player who improved mightily after the catch in 2025 was Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr.,” Wasserman wrote.
“A move to the slot facilitated better opportunities for Cooper, who racked up 494 yards after the catch in 2025, the 16th most in the FBS. His 27 missed tackles forced this past season were tied for the fourth most in the nation and were the most of any wide receiver in this year’s draft class.”
During the 2025 college football season at Indiana, Cooper was a big part of the Hoosiers winning a National Championship. Throughout the course of the season, he racked up 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The 49ers Are Clearly Investing Into Brock Purdy’s Future
Last season, Purdy missed some time due to injury. When he did play, there were some consistency issues and some fans even started turning against him.
Clearly, Lynch and the 49ers are focused on building around Purdy. Signing Evans was an obvious sign that San Francisco is investing heavily into Purdy’s present and future.
Should the 49ers double down at wide receiver and draft Cooper, the offense would be in even better shape. Cooper hasn’t even scratched the surface of his full potential. An offseason adding both Evans and Cooper at wide receiver would be a massive win for Purdy.
It will be interesting to see what the rest of the offseason has in store for San Francisco. The 2026 season should be successful for the 49ers, assuming they stay healthy.