Tag: Tyler Kroft

49ers rule out TE Tyler Kroft with knee injury

The 49ers ruled out TE Tyler Kroft (knee) vs. the Seahawks.

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The 49ers won’t have tight end Tyler Kroft for the duration of their game vs.  the Seahawks after he was ruled out late in the third quarter with a knee injury.

Kroft is the third active tight end for San Francisco along with Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner. He earned two targets and caught one ball in the season opener. Kroft hadn’t been targeted in Week 2.

If he’s expected to miss substantial time, the 49ers could look to bring in more help at that position while George Kittle works his way back from a groin injury that kept him out of the first two games.

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6 takeaways from the 49ers’ initial 53-man roster

Takeaways from @nicholasmcgee24 after the #49ers announced their 53-man roster.

The 49ers’ 53-man roster is set. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have settled on the group they believe can deliver success in Trey Lance’s first season as the starting quarterback.

In true Shanahan fashion, the initial 53-man group has some surprises, the most significant being the decision to retain the services of Jimmy Garoppolo as the No. 2 quarterback.

Beyond that bet on the 49ers’ team chemistry, there were several other unexpected decisions that will not provoke the same level of reaction but could have more of an influence on the direction of the Niners this season. 

Let’s examine those roster choices in a look at six key takeaways from cutdown day for San Francisco.

49ers agree to bring back recently-released TE Tyler Kroft, DE Jordan Willis

The #49ers have agreements to bring back TE Tyler Kroft and DE Jordan Willis.

The 49ers on Tuesday announced their initial 53-man roster, but that group should change relatively quickly. Shortly after their final cuts were made, the club announced free safety Jimmie Ward and linebacker Curtis Robinson would go on short-term IR. Tight end Tyler Kroft and defensive end Jordan Willis both have agreements to return to the club after being released from the 80-man roster.

Ward is dealing with a hamstring injury, and Robinson suffered a high ankle sprain in the preseason finale vs. the Texans. Both players will be required to miss at least four games by going on IR.

Kroft and Willis were both on the roster bubble and wound up on the outside of the initial list.

They’ll wind up carrying four tight ends once Kroft is added to the roster. He adds perhaps more pass-catching ability than either Charlie Woerner or Ross Dwelley bring behind George Kittle.

Willis is a good rotational defensive end who can also contribute on special teams. His release was a surprise, but since he didn’t have to pass waivers the team knew they could get him back without risking another team claiming him. Willis will be the 10th defensive lineman.

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49ers roster moves: TE Tyler Kroft officially added, DL Chris Slayton released

The #49ers officially announced the signing of TE Tyler Kroft, and a corresponding move.

The 49ers on Monday officially announced the addition of tight end Tyler Kroft, and in a corresponding move released defensive lineman Chris Slayton.

Kroft is a former Bengals third-round pick who’s signing was first reported by his agent early Monday morning. After four years with the Bengals, Kroft spent two years in Buffalo and one year with the Jets. He’s posted 101 catches for 1,024 yards and 13 touchdowns in 81 games.

Tight end is a spot where the 49ers have struggled to find quality depth over the last few years, and Kroft is the second veteran they’ve added at the position over the past two weeks. He’ll have a real shot to contend for a roster spot.

Slayton found himself at the bottom of a deep defensive line depth chart and the odd man out as the 49ers keep their offseason roster at the 90-player threshold. San Francisco originally added Slayton to their practice squad in November last season. He was never elevated to the active roster.

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Former Rutgers football tight end Tyler Kroft signs with the San Francisco 49ers

Tyler Kroft signs with the San Francisco 49ers. Kroft is a former standout tight end at Rutgers football.

Tyler Kroft is joining the San Francisco 49ers. The former Rutgers football tight end, who spent last year with the New York Jets, has signed a free-agent deal with the NFC West team.

News of Kroft’s deal was broken on Monday morning by his agent, Mike McCartney of VaynerSports.

Last season for the Jets, Kroft had 16 catches for 173 yards and a receiving touchdown. The Jets went 4-13 and were No. 28 in the league in total offense.

A multi-year starter at Rutgers, Kroft was a third round pick in the 2015 NFL draft. In 2013, as a sophomore at Rutgers, he was an all-AAC selection coming off a season where he had 43 catches for 543 yards with four touchdowns.

 

In 2014, Rutgers’ first season in the Big Ten, Kroft finished with 24 catches for 269 yards.

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He was a three-star recruit coming out of Downington East (Downington, PA). He held Power Five offers from Boston College, Northwestern, Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Virginia and West Virginia when he selected Rutgers.

49ers to add more offseason TE depth with veteran Tyler Kroft

The #49ers are adding another veteran TE to their offseason roster.

The 49ers are once again looking to bolster their tight end depth. A week after adding TE Troy Fumagalli, they’re set to add former Jets TE Tyler Kroft on a one-year deal, via his agent Mike McCartney. There’s no word on a corresponding move for San Francisco.

Kroft, 29, was a third-round pick by the Bengals in the 2015 draft. He spent four years in Cincinnati before moving on to the Bills for two years, then to the Jets for the 2021 campaign.

In seven seasons he’s played 81 games with 48 starts. Kroft has 101 catches for 1,024 yards and 13 touchdowns as a pro. His best year came in 2017 when he hauled in 42 receptions for 404 yards and seven touchdowns.

Kroft will compete for a roster spot with Fumagalli, Ross Dwelley, Charlie Woerner, Tanner Hudson and Jordan Matthews.

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6 takeaways from the Jets’ Week 18 loss to the Bills

The Jets dropped their season finale to the Bills. Takeaways:

The Jets hung tough in their season finale, but talent ultimately prevailed and the Bills hung on for a 27-10 win to give them their second straight AFC East championship.

New York entered Week 18 missing numerous key pieces on offense. Zach Wilson didn’t have a ton to work with and the Bills dominated the time of possession battle, but the Jets managed to keep it close and were competitive for all four quarters. That’s a small victory for a team that got blown out by Buffalo earlier this season.

Here are six takeaways from Gang Green’s final game of the 2021 season.

4 things to know about Jets TE Brandon Dillon

Brandon Dillon took a unique path to the NFL. Get to know the Jets TE and his journey prior to landing on New York’s practice squad:

The Jets have been rendered thin at tight end recently due to injuries and COVID-19. Tyler Kroft just came off the COVID list and is set to play in New York’s season finale against the Bills, but Mike LaFleur’s offense has been operating without a deep tight end room for a while now.

One of Gang Green’s few healthy tight ends is Brandon Dillon, who was signed to the practice squad on Dec. 29. Dillon has one of the more unique journies of any player in the NFL. Let’s get to know him a bit better.

Jets TE Ryan Griffin coming around with Tyler Kroft out

Ryan Griffin was a non-factor last year & through his first 7 games this season, but the Jets tight end has started to make an impact.

Ryan Griffin was a non-factor for the Jets last year and through his first seven games this season, but the tight end has started to make an impact.

Griffin caught a mere nine passes for 86 yards in 2020 after New York gave him a three-year deal. Both were career-lows for the nine-year veteran, and Griffin failed to score after racking up five touchdowns in 2019, his first season with the Jets.

The 31-year-old offered much of the same through the first eight weeks of 2021, totaling 10 receptions for 71 yards. But, with starting tight end Tyler Kroft on injured reserve with a lung laceration, Griffin has shown glimpses of his 2019 self in recent weeks, catching eight of 13 targets for 88 yards and a touchdown over his last three games.

“I thought it’s what it should’ve been, really,” Griffin said, per the New York Post’s Zach Braziller. “Last year was pretty frustrating for me, but that’s gone. We’re on to this year, playing a lot more with [Kroft] out, but I’m all for it.”

While Griffin’s recent numbers are not extraordinary, they exceed his production from a season ago. That’s significant for a team that has received just 30 catches, 279 yards and two touchdowns from its tight ends this year.

New York has long ignored the position, so even a little bit of production from Griffin, his own recent struggles aside, stands out. He’s hoping to make more of an impact in the weeks to come, starting with Gang Green’s Week 12 contest against Houston, Griffin’s first NFL team.

“I feel really comfortable in every aspect of the offense,” Griffin said, “and looking forward to more on Sunday.”

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Jets place WR Denzel Mims on reserve/COVID-19 list

Jets WR Denzel Mims has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive for the virus.

Jets WR Denzel Mims has been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive for the virus.

Mims is vaccinated, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, so he can return to the Jets’ facility if he’s asymptomatic for 48 hours and has two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. If he experiences any symptoms, he must remain isolated from the rest of the team until both of those conditions are met.

This is another chapter in an unfortunate sophomore season for Mims.

After missing most of New York’s offseason workouts and falling behind in training camp due to food poisoning, Mims rarely saw action in the Jets’ first eight games of the season. He’s played just 27.29 percent of the team’s offensive snaps over only six games and has seven catches on 14 targets for 129 yards. He squandered two great opportunities in the Jets’ last two games with Corey Davis out of the lineup, catching just three receptions for 50 yards despite playing 97 total snaps.

The Jets also placed safety Marcus Maye and tight end Tyler Kroft on injured reserve. Maye suffered a season-ending Achilles tear against the Colts in Week 9, while Kroft is dealing with a chest injury.

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