San Francisco 49ers Sign Mike Evans and Draft De'Zhaun Stribling Amid George Kittle's Achilles Recovery

The San Francisco 49ers signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans in free agency, Newsweek reported. The team also selected Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling in the second round, at No. 33 overall, of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night.

These additions bolster the receiving options for quarterback Brock Purdy, as All-Pro tight end George Kittle continues his recovery from a torn Achilles. Kittle, 32 years old, tore his Achilles in the second quarter of the 49ers' 23-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card round on Jan. 11.

San Francisco's season ended with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks the weekend following Jan. 11. The 49ers cleaned out their lockers on Jan. 19, when Kittle told reporters he could return to action well before November.

Kittle had Achilles surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. On Jan. ' Dr. Neal ElAttrache said the best-case scenario when you tear an Achilles is that you tear it up high by your soleus, which is what George Kittle did.

Kittle had a clean tear of his Achilles, and surgeons did not have to drill into his heel for the repair. The location of Kittle's Achilles repair has more blood flow. Before the Achilles injury, Kittle was limited by a hamstring injury in September and suffered an ankle sprain in late December.

On Saturday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said on NFL Network, 'He's going to be ready at some point, if not for the first game,' about Kittle.