The Position Group the 49ers Have Improved the Most This Offseason
The San Francisco 49ers knew at the end of the 2025 season they had plenty of items on their offseason shopping list.
The 49ers were extremely busy in free agency, then managed to turn six draft selections into eight picks, and now the roster looks capable of competing for a playoff spot again in a fierce NFC West.
ESPN's latest power rankings highlight the position group San Francisco have improved most, and it's hard to argue with the choice.
The 49ers most improved position is wide reciever
"In 2025, San Francisco's wide receivers combined for 2,171 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, which ranked 21st and 25th in the NFL, respectively," wrote ESPN's Nick Wagoner.
"With the departure of Brandon Aiyuk still pending and Jauan Jennings not returning, the Niners added proven pass catchers in free agency.
"They signed six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans and eight-year veteran Christian Kirk. Then they spent the No. 33 pick on Ole Miss wideout De'Zhaun Stribling to provide some much-needed speed.
"There is uncertainty in how much Evans and Kirk still have in the tank and whether Stribling can produce right away, but the options alongside Ricky Pearsall are undoubtedly much better than they were a season ago."
Five months ago, the locker room looked depleted of offensive weapons, yet the 49ers and quarterback Brock Purdy still won a playoff game without several star players, a testament to his ability and the coaching staff's ability to extract the most out of their depth pieces.
But with these roster moves, while having great potential to be one of the best offenses in the league, the 49ers are in many ways gambling heading into the new season.
On paper, the depth pieces and replacements bring a significant level of threat, but the game is played on grass. Players like Mike Evans and Christian Kirk have dealt with injuries in the past, and even current receiver Ricky Pearsall enters a crucial stretch with durability questions. He's heading into the third year of his contract, so if he doesn't impress, the 49ers might have to move on from him.
In what is now firmly the Purdy era, with the quarterback set to command the highest salary on the roster, committing heavily to an aging or uncertain offensive core carries real risk. If things don't work out well, San Francisco could find themselves wasting the early years of Purdy's prime.
There is no question that Purdy is capable of taking the 49ers to the Super Bowl, but he must have a healthy offense around him.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as The Position Group the 49ers Have Improved the Most This Offseason.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 6:00 AM.