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 49ers traded for Skyy Moore during training camp and signed Kendrick Bourne after Week 1, but the group couldn’t find its footing with so many players injured.

“There’s continuity,” Kubiak said about this year’s group. “There’s guys who maybe missed time last year between Jordan and Jake in camp, but they’re out there every day. They’re getting better. I’ve just seen a lot of growth across the board.”  

The group could be without Pearsall again this year. A team representative shared the wideout experienced swelling this week in his knee that is related to the PCL injury he suffered last season, and they are exploring all options. 

For now, Kubiak is pleased with the diligence of the receivers group as a whole. 

“Those guys come out every day with the right mindset,” Kubiak said. “They’re on their assignments, they’re working, they’re competing. It’s going to be fun to watch that room kind of become what it does over this next however many weeks of training camp. It’s one of the positions where we have a lot of competition, and I’m excited to see where it goes.”

The 49ers will enjoy a day off on Thursday and return to the practice field Friday for their fourth on-field session of training camp.

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