The San Francisco 49ers reporter Grant Cohn is not happy with the club’s recent signing of veteran wide receiver Christian Kirk.

The Associated Press reported that Kirk inked a one-year, $6 million contract with the organization. Taking to his X account, Cohn went in on the signing, taking aim at the 49ers’ love for “cheap, broken-down wide receivers.”

“This makes no sense! The 49ers just signed another old, washed receiver. This time it’s Christian Kirk. They gave him a one-year, $6 million deal. He’s on his third team in the last three seasons, and he’s gonna be 30 this year. He’s had 55 catches in the last two seasons. There’s a reason Texans didn’t want him anymore. And there’s a reason the Niners do want him, because they love old, cheap, broken-down wide receivers. They have a thing for them.”

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Kirk will join the ranks of the returning Ricky Pearsall and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, who signed a three-year, $42.5 million contract to join San Francisco last week. Cohn believes Kirk will see most of his playing time on special teams and in the slot.

“And, sure, ideally, he won’t play. Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall will be your starters, and Christian Kirk will return punts, although he’s not even good at that anymore. But he’s the number three receiver. He’s the slot receiver. And them signing Christian Kirk means they’re not going to be bringing back Jauan Jennings under any circumstances. So, get to know and get to love Christian Kirk in the slot.”

According to Cohn, with Evans and Pearsall playing on the outside, and Jauan Jennings likely not returning to the team, this opens the door for Kirk to see the lion’s share of the slot receptions. And standing at just five-foot-eleven, Cohn isn’t convinced he can produce in the role.

“This is important because Brock Purdy loves throwing to the slot receiver. He loves throwing over the middle, layering passes 15 yards over the middle, over the linebackers, in front of the safeties, to Jauan Jennings. Jennings was always his favorite target, for a reason.

“And Mike Evans is good when healthy, but he’s a different player than Jauan Jennings. He wants to do his work on the outside. He wants to catch that shoulder fades and fades. Christian Kirk is 5’11”, and he’s not good. So, the Niners just downgraded at slot receiver.”

Christian Kirk lands in San Francisco after one-off with Houston

Kirk played 13 games for the Houston Texans last season and didn’t have too much to show for it when it was said and done. He caught only 28 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown. Kirk did, however, impress during the postseason with Houston, catching 10 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns, nearly doubling his regular-season totals.

At 29 years old, Kirk is hoping to replicate the same level of production he churned out during his runs with the Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars during the beginning of his professional career. Now, he joins an NFC club in San Francisco that is hoping to return to the playoff picture in 2026 and return to the Super Bowl after playing in the big game back in 2024.