With 49ers OTAs in full swing, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the team’s roster to figure out the strengths, weaknesses, potential dark horses to make the team and other nuggets about the players who will be competing for jobs on the 53-man roster.
There won’t be a ton of turnover on the 49ers’ roster this season, but the tight end room could get a pretty significant makeover.
San Francisco since George Kittle’s emergence as a star at the position hasn’t done much to invest in players behind him on the depth chart. They’ve gotten capable play from players like Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner, but Dwelley was undrafted and Woerner was a sixth-round pick who was known for his blocking. Free agent ads like Jordan Reed and Tyler Kroft have been mostly uninspiring.
It’s been clear they’re trying to at least find another player capable of taking some of the pass catching onus off of Kittle. Having a second TE who can get out in routes and affect the passing game would give head coach Kyle Shanahan another wrinkle of versatility to throw at defenses.
This year they invested two draft picks in the position, leaving the door open for a significant overhaul at a position group that’s been mostly stagnant over the last four seasons.
Let’s dive into the 49ers’ offseason roster at tight end: