The 49ers don’t have many glaring weaknesses on their roster. One of the things that sticks out while perusing the depth chart is the talent behind starting tight end George Kittle. While Ross Dwelley is an effective blocker, and sixth-round draft pick Charlie Woerner was an excellent blocker in college, neither player is an exceptionally gifted pass catcher. That’s an area San Francisco could improve to add an additional wrinkle to their offense, which is why it would make sense for them to pursue free agent tight end Jordan Reed.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Monday reported the oft-injured, 30-year-old Reed is planning on playing in 2020 and has three teams expressing interest in his services.
One name to watch as teams gear up for training camp: FA TE Jordan Reed. The former Washington play-maker has three teams interested and plans to play in 2020. A potential low-risk, high-reward signing.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 13, 2020
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator for Washington when the club selected Reed in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft. He was a very good athlete at the University of Florida who transitioned from dual-threat quarterback to tight end after his freshman year.
Reed quickly translated his talents to the NFL, hauling in 45 receptions for 499 yards and three touchdowns in nine games as a rookie. Incomplete seasons became a trend for Reed, who in six NFL seasons hasn’t played a full 16 games.
Despite the injuries he’s been an exceptional player from both a traditional stats standpoint and in advanced metrics. In 65 games, Reed has 329 catches for 3,371 yards and 24 touchdowns. He posted 17 of those touchdowns during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Reed is averaging 11 games per season for his career, and hauls in an average of 55 balls for 562 yards and four touchdowns in those 11 contests. Those numbers far surpass anything a 49ers backup tight end was liable to do next season in 16 games.
Pro Football Focus’ grades match Reed’s raw statistical output. He graded below a 70 only once in his career, and three times he eclipsed the 80.0 mark, which indicates a top-end player at the position.
Health is an obvious concern for both Reed and the team that signs him. He missed all of 2019 with a concussion he suffered during a preseason game in August. Washington eventually placed him on season-ending Injured Reserve in October. However, Rapoport reported Reed is looking to get back on the field, and he’s a natural fit in San Francisco.
The 49ers run multiple tight end sets roughly 32 percent of the time according to Sharp Football Stats. That gives Reed an opportunity to make an impact while also limiting his total number of snaps. Rather than playing upwards of 70 percent of the offensive snaps, Reed could settle in somewhere closer to 20 or 30. His responsibilities as a run blocker could also be limited by both Dwelley and Woerner, who’re probably better served in those roles. Reed can add a second, dynamic pass catching element in multi-tight end packages that San Francisco hasn’t had during Shanahan’s tenure.
The club made their desire for another playmaking tight end clear when they pursued former Falcons tight end Austin Hooper in free agency. Having another TE on the field who can line up in different spots the way Kittle does puts a lot of stress on a defense in matchups and in deciphering formation-based tendencies. Reed can be that player.
With training camp and the preseason likely shortened, Reed’s familiarity with Shanahan’s offense is an added bonus. He only spent one year in the system, but it would give him a head start on getting up to speed.
There’s an obvious risk-reward to weigh from San Francisco’s perspective given Reed’s injury history. He’s played just 19 games since 2017. If there’s a large market for Reed, the 49ers don’t need to overspend to add him. However, a low-risk contract in a situation where Reed can ease into the offense and limit his snaps to situations where his pass-catching prowess adds another explosive element to the 49ers’ passing game makes a lot of sense.
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