SANTA CLARA — With the 49ers’ addition of Mike Evans during NFL free agency, offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak already can sense increased competition in the wide receivers room. “Absolutely,” Kubiak said. “Mike being in there is one thing. He’s a vet, he’s a pro, he knows how to work, he knows how to compete every day and get better. In my opinion, that whole room has taken a big step from last year to this year.”
The 49ers started NFL training camp last season with high hopes, as then-rookie Jordan Watkins put together a standout debut camp and Jacob Cowing looked ready for a significant second-year leap.
Then, the injury bug hit and both young wide receivers were sidelined for an extended stint — Cowing for the entire season. Jauan Jennings, who now is with the Minnesota Vikings, missed much of training camp with a calf injury, then sustained subsequent shoulder and ankle injuries early in the 2025 NFL season.
In Week 4, Ricky Pearsall suffered a knee injury that kept him off the field for six games, and he never really felt like himself throughout the rest of season.
The...