The 49ers’ 90-man roster has taken shape, and camp battles are already developing on paper with organized team activities due to open May 20.
Some positions won’t have a lot of competition. Jimmy Garoppolo is locked in at the top of the depth chart. So are players like George Kittle and Dee Ford. Other spots will have a ton of competition based on the personnel on the roster going into OTAs. This is our seven-part series on the biggest roster battles we’ll have an eye on throughout the offseason.
A quality backup tight end is paramount in a 49ers offense that values deception through personnel groupings. Having a second tight end who can block effectively, but be enough of a receiving threat that teams have to account for him in the passing game is essential.
Last season the job was Garrett Celek’s to lose, but this year should bring more competition to that spot. Here’s what the battle for the No. 2 tight end spot looks like going into the offseason program:
The contenders
Garrett Celek – Year 8
Kaden Smith – Rookie
Ross Dwelley – Year 2
Levine Toilolo – Year 7
The low-down
The 49ers got good production in the run game from their backup tight ends last season. Celek saw a majority of the snaps, but Dwelley and Cole Wick also got a handful of plays. None of those players got much work in the passing game. Celek pulled in just five balls for 90 yards and two touchdowns a year after putting up 336 yards on 21 receptions with four touchdowns. Dwelley had two catches for 14 yards. Wick didn’t record a catch.
Toilolo is an intriguing addition because of his familiarity with Shanahan’s offense and a sudden uptick in production in one year with the Lions last season. He had 21 catches for 263 yards and a touchdown a year ago – his best season since 2014.
Celek, Dwelley and Toilolo will feature prominently in the race for the backup tight end job again this season, but Smith, a sixth-round pick should factor heavily into the equation as well.
Run blocking ability will ultimately be the key to winning the job as the second tight end to George Kittle. However, if one of them can flash as a legitimate, versatile receiving threat, they could earn some snaps as well. Ideally though the best receiver of the second tight ends would also be a terrific run blocker who San Francisco could deploy in a variety of formations and situations.
The prediction
Celek’s stranglehold on the second tight end job is a bit looser this year than it was going into last offseason. A second year for Dwelley, and the arrivals of Smith and Toilolo should add a little heat on the 30-year-old tight end.
On the other hand, smart money is on the veteran. The 49ers know Celek can block and he has two years of familiarity in the system on top of being a strong presence in the locker room.
Perhaps the biggest threat to Celek’s job though is his own contract. If Dwelley takes a step forward, Smith shows that he can block in an NFL offense, and Toilolo shows off as an improved pass catcher – the one year left on a 30-year-old Celek’s deal suddenly has to become a factor in their decision-making.
However, there’s an easy-to-see scenario where three tight ends make the team and it’s Celek retaining his spot behind Kittle on the depth chart.
With so many additional weapons in the offense, having a productive backup tight end would give the 49ers offense an extra wrinkle that makes it that much harder to stop.
