Ranking the San Francisco 49ers most important position battles
4. Tight End
There is an argument that the fight for spots on the running back depth chart is the one to watch this offseason.
However, whichever way the tailback group shakes out this offseason, the 49ers should be able to enjoy some success on the ground with a starter who has consistently impressed when healthy in Carlos Hyde, an experienced backup in Tim Hightower and two rookies, Joe Williams and Matt Breida, who appear capable of competing for significant playing time right away.
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That is not the case at tight end, where the 49ers have a logjam of players but few who can be considered sure things to make a significant and consistent impact.
Vance McDonald enjoyed his best season — 391 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games — in 2016, but his career has been blighted by drops and the 49ers acknowledged they had looked in to trading him in the offseason. Celek had just 350 yards and three scores in five more games while Blake Bell recorded just four catches on nine targets.
It is tough to envisage the 49ers wanting to rely on any of that trio and, with free agent signing Logan Paulsen having primarily served as a blocking tight end in his career, rookies George Kittle and Cole Hikutuni could catapult themselves into the conversation.
Though fullback Kyle Juszczyk is set to be a big part of the offense — KNBR’s Kevin Jones believes he could be in line for 50 to 60 catches — the 49ers need difference-making tight ends to add another dimension with the wideouts appearing somewhat limited in their abilities.
Celek and Bell have rarely appeared capable of providing that extra dimension and, though rookie tight ends generally struggle in their first year, San Francisco may be better served if at least one of Kittle and Hikutini claims a spot on the depth chart.