49ers Add Christian Kirk, Boosting QB Purdy

0:00It's March 18th, here's your NFL news in two minutes. Subscribe to stay locked in all season. The San Francisco 49ers keep building their wide receiver group. Last week they added Mike Evans and this week they signed Christian Kirk. This move should give quarterback Brock Pertie plenty of options heading into 2026. Kirk figures to line up as the number two or number three receiver, depending on how Rookie Ricky Pearceau performs by week one. Kirk brings a strong college resume from Texas A&M. He was a five star recruit out of high school in Arizona. Over three seasons he played in 39 games, hauling in 234 catches for nearly 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns. He also shown as a putt returner leading the nation in average twice in scoring six return touchdowns. In the pros, Kirk has eight years of experience across three teams. The Arizona Cardinals drafted him in the second round, 47th overall, back in 2018.

1:00He spent four years there, then three with the Jacksonville Jaguars and one with the Houston Texans. In 106 games, he has 432 receptions for 5,415 yards and 30 touchdowns. Injuries have slowed him down lately. Kirk has not played a full 16 game season since 2022. Last year he dealt with a hamstring issue and before that a fractured collarbone in 2024 and a growing tear in 2023 that has limited his snaps and return duties. Analytics from Pro Football Focus paint a mixed picture. They graded him 56.2 overall last season, ranking him near the bottom among wide receivers. His receiving grade was similar. Still, he hit a peak of 74.2 back in 2022, so the 49ers hope he rebounds in a bigger