49ers Sign WR Christian Kirk to $6 Million Deal After Career-Worst Season

The 49ers continue to bolster their receiving corps with the addition of the former Texans wideout.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:21pm by Ben Kaplan

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The San Francisco 49ers have signed free agent wide receiver Christian Kirk to a 1-year, $6 million contract. Kirk is coming off the worst season of his 8-year NFL career, where he caught just 28 passes for 239 yards and 1 touchdown with the Houston Texans. However, the 49ers are hoping Kirk can bounce back and contribute to their offense alongside newly-signed Mike Evans and other receivers.

Why it matters

The 49ers are looking to build a Super Bowl contender in the tough NFC West, and adding offensive weapons like Kirk and Evans is part of their strategy to catch up to the defending champion Seattle Seahawks and the star-studded Los Angeles Rams.

The details

Kirk, 29, had a down year with the Texans in 2025, but showed in the playoffs that he can still be a productive receiver, catching 10 passes for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns in two postseason games. The 49ers are betting on a bounce-back season from Kirk, who had over 1,100 receiving yards as recently as 2022 with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

  • The 49ers signed Kirk to a 1-year, $6 million contract on March 16, 2026.

The players

Christian Kirk

A 29-year-old wide receiver who has spent 8 seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Houston Texans.

Mike Evans

A veteran wide receiver who the 49ers signed away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.

C.J. Stroud

The Texans' starting quarterback in 2025, whose poor play contributed to Kirk's down season.

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What they’re saying

“Sources: The 49ers are signing WR Christian Kirk to a 1-year, $6M deal. Kirk is the latest WR addition in San Fran, after they also signed WR Mike Evans.”

— Jordan Schultz, NFL Insider (Twitter)

What’s next

The 49ers will be hoping that Kirk can bounce back and provide a reliable receiving threat alongside Mike Evans and the rest of their revamped receiving corps as they aim to contend for a Super Bowl in 2026.

The takeaway

The 49ers are aggressively upgrading their offense this offseason, adding proven veterans like Mike Evans and Christian Kirk to complement their existing weapons. This signals their intent to compete for a championship in 2026 and take advantage of the closing window for their core players.