After struggling to move the ball through the air at points during their 2025 campaign, the San Francisco 49ers put forth a concerted effort to improve their wide receiver room, adding six players to the position group this offseason.
The arrivals of Mike Evans, Christian Kirk and De’Zhaun Stribling specifically are expected to really help Brock Purdy and the rest of San Francisco’s offense this year, but at least one NFL analyst believes the team could do more.
In a recent appearance on ESPN’s “NFL Live,” former general manager Mike Tannenbaum suggested that the 49ers should sign free agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
“I look at San Francisco, and even though they added Mike Evans and drafted (De’Zhaun) Stribling in the second round, I still think if they brought in one more veteran receiver for a team that’s in a win now mode, I think you’d get one year out of Stefon Diggs and San Francisco has done that over the years,” Tannenbaum said. “He’s past his prime, but come on in while Stribling develops, see what you have in (Ricky) Pearsall who’s been hurt, I think Diggs can help the 49er passing attack.”
Diggs, 32, played at Maryland from 2012-14, earning All-Big Ten honors once. The Minnesota Vikings took him in the fifth round (No. 146 overall) of the 2015 NFL draft, and he spent five years in Minnesota, four years with the Buffalo Bills, one year with the Houston Texans and last season with the New England Patriots.
In his 11 years in the league, Diggs has caught 942 passes for 11,504 yards and 74 touchdowns on his way to four Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro teams.
Diggs would probably slide in behind Evans on the depth chart in San Francisco, which would bump Pearsall and Kirk down to third and fourth. This also would create a very interesting competition for a fifth spot between Jordan Watkins, Demarcus Robinson and Jacob Cowing.
If the 49ers were to enter the 2026 season with Evans, Diggs, Pearsall Kirk and one of those last three, that could be one of the best rooms in the league if they’re all healthy.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Former NFL GM suggests 49ers should sign 2-time All-Pro before camp
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