The 49ers on Friday swapped out a veteran tight end for an undrafted rookie at the same position the team announced. Niles Paul was waived by San Francisco to make room for rookie Daniel Helm.
Paul’s stint in the Bay Area was short. He was signed in the final week of July to add competition and versatility at the tight end spot after Garrett Celek was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Helm provides a younger, perhaps more athletic option for San Francisco. He spent a year at Tennessee as a highly-touted high school recruit. He transferred to Duke after one year and had a nice career for the Blue Devils. Helm hauled in 69 catches for 767 yards and six touchdowns across three seasons.
The Chargers signed Helm as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 draft.
His athleticism is what makes him an intriguing prospect for San Francisco. He has enough to move around the offense and make a matchup problem for opposing defenses. Helm won’t crack the 53-man roster, but he’ll be an intriguing practice squad candidate if he has a strong camp.
