San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch joined NFL Network's Inside Training Camp Live alongside Maurice Jones-Drew and Alex Smith, where he discussed the team's revamped wide receiver room, recent injuries, and the return of Deebo Samuel.
The 49ers' receiving corps underwent significant changes during the offseason. The team's biggest addition was veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, who spent the first 12 seasons of his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. San Francisco also added Christian Kirk in free agency and selected rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling in the 2026 NFL Draft.
More recently, the 49ers reunited with Samuel on a one-year deal after Ricky Pearsall suffered a setback related to the PCL injury he sustained last season. Pearsall will undergo season-ending surgery and was placed on injured reserve.
The injury concerns have continued to pile up, with Kirk sidelined due to a calf strain, while Evans (quad strain) and Stribling (hamstring) both missed Monday's practice.
Despite the setbacks, Lynch remains confident in the new-look group of receivers. He believes the unit has looked impressive when healthy and can help elevate the 49ers' offense in 2026.
"Now, Ricky, that's going to be a big loss," Lynch admitted. "Ricky is a really good football player. He's struggled his first year with some hamstring stuff. Obviously, had the accident where he got shot ... And then he had this PCL last year ... Those are stubborn injuries. They kind of linger, and then they usually resolve themselves.
"He went through all the rehab, did it right. Unfortunately, it didn't resolve itself, and it brought us to, just the other day, deciding that he needed to get it fixed. And so, that's a big loss."
Lynch explained that the 49ers had already been in discussions with Samuel before Pearsall's setback occurred.
"Now, we were talking to Deebo, and the hope was to add him to the room with Ricky," Lynch shared. "Now Deebo's back. We obviously know Deebo. He's looked fantastic. It's like he didn't miss a beat."
Evans is expected to be the centerpiece of the 49ers' revamped wide receiver group. The veteran gives quarterback Brock Purdy the most accomplished outside receiving threat of his career and provides another proven red-zone weapon for the offense.
"Mike Evans, it's been awesome having him here," Lynch said. "Have admired him from afar. We started talking to him during free agency, and it materialized. And, man, he's going to bring a lot here. And so, excited about Mike. Stribling, the rookie, he's looked fantastic. We really like his skill set."
While Pearsall's injury is a significant loss, Lynch said it will not alter the team's plans for Stribling, who has impressed during training camp and is expected to develop into a long-term contributor for the 49ers.
"Number one, he's just got to show he's ready, but we have a vision for him, how we want to use him," Lynch said. "I don't think we're going to deviate from that a lot. And so, guys like Christian Kirk that we went out and got.
"And then, there's always development from within. A kid like Jacob Cowing, who hasn't quite put it all together yet, but he's had a wonderful offseason. Jordan Watkins, another fourth-round draft pick from last year. Those guys have to ascend.
"So, you get it from the outside, you get it from inside, and we'll put it all together. And I think we'll have a really good group."
With Evans, Samuel, Kirk, and Stribling leading the way, the 49ers believe their wide receiver room has enough talent and depth to remain a major strength of the offense.
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