The San Francisco 49ers have been busy this offseason in NFL free agency. John Lynch has an aggressive mindset and his headline move was the signing of star wide receiver Mike Evans.

In order to sign Evans, the 49ers had to give him a three-year, $60.4 million contract. For a player of his caliber, that kind of money is well worth it.

Now, a new detail has been shared about Evans signing with San Francisco that has provided an intriguing twist to the offseason.

While the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted to keep Evans in free agency, he chose to leave to start a fresh chapter. However, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht made it clear that Evans passed on more money from Tampa Bay than he got with the 49ers.

“Obviously, he’s the best offensive player we’ve ever had and an even better person than he is a player. So, it’s always tough. That one was really tough,” Licht said. “We made a significantly higher offer, and that was just the first offer.”

This news shows just how much Evans wanted to play for San Francisco.

Mike Evans Could Be the Missing Piece to the 49ers’ Super Bowl Puzzle

Last season, it was clear that the 49ers badly needed more help at the wide receiver position. Adding Evans to the room could completely fix the problem.

Evans has been one of the NFL’s best wideouts for years. He struggled with injuries during the 2025 season, only playing in seven games, but he had produced 11 straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons before that since coming into the league.

Even at 32 years old, Evans will be the No. 1 go-to target for star quarterback Brock Purdy.

Throughout his 12-year NFL career with the Buccaneers, Evans caught 866 total passes for 13,052 yards and 108 touchdowns in 176 games. Seeing him play in a jersey other than Tampa Bay’s will feel strange, but it won’t take him long to make San Francisco fans happy with the move.

What Else Have the 49ers Done in NFL Free Agency?

The signing of Evans has been the most talked about addition for the 49ers. However, Lynch and the front office have made some other key moves.

Outside of the Evans signing, San Francisco has brought in linebacker Dre Greenlaw, tackle Vederian Lowe, cornerback Nate Hobbs, wide receiver Christian Kirk, and a few other players as well.

At this point in time, 49ers fans have to be feeling good about the upcoming 2026 NFL season. San Francisco could still make more moves in free agency, but the team will also have a chance to improve through the 2026 NFL Draft in late April.

Lynch has put in work this offseason. Fans can’t wait to see Evans in action.