The Steelers search to find a capable replacement for tight end Heath Miller is in phase two with the trade for Vance McDonald. They hope it goes better than what happened on their first attempt with Ladarius Green.
McDonald, acquired for a 2018 fourth-round draft choice Tuesday, had nearly as many catches (64) in four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers as Green did in four previous seasons with the San Diego Chargers (78). But he is not the long, down-the-field type of tight end who looks more like a big wide receiver.
McDonald is a thick 6-foot-5, 267-pounder who is all tight end _ square-jawed, chiseled arms, big hands. And he is a more complete tight end than Green _ more like a Heath Miller type _ because he can block as well as he can run.
Hopefully, he can get on the field more than Green, whose career with the Steelers consisted of six games and 18 catches because of recurring problems with concussion symptoms.
"We're here to win a championship, that's all I've heard," McDonald said. "We'll do whatever it takes."
McDonald appeared for 15 snaps in the preseason finale Thursday night in Carolina, but he was never targeted with a pass. He did a lot of that in pregame warmups with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger _ running underneath routes and showing a natural ease catching the ball in stride. Curiously, he was not known in San Francisco for having dependable hands.
Roethlisberger said it was too early to evaluate his new tight end _ "I threw with him before the game, that's all I know," he said _ but added he's "excited" to start to work with him when the Steelers resume practice Monday in preparation for the season opener Sept. 10 in Cleveland.
Roethlisberger should get plenty of chances to throw to him during games. The Steelers plan to use McDonald in tandem with Jesse James as soon as possible, and he eventually could become their No. 1 tight end.
McDonald looked as though he was on track to be the same with the 49ers, especially after he signed a five-year, $35 million contract extension in December that included $16 million guaranteed. A second-round draft pick in 2013 who started 30 of 48 games, McDonald was having the best season of his career in 2016 _ 30 catches, 391 yards and four touchdowns _ before ending the year on injured reserve.
But the 49ers had a regime change in the offense, bringing in Kyle Shanahan as coach and John Lynch as general manager. That, coupled with the progress of rookie tight end George Kittle, doomed McDonald.
"They're definitely in a rebuild mode," McDonald said.
Being the subject of trade talks and wondering if he would be shipped to another team is nothing new for McDonald. He has heard the rumors, some not so secret, for at least the past year, once while at his brother's wedding. Even Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert acknowledged as much, saying "Vance has been available, off and on, since the draft last year." This time, Colbert said the 49ers' trade talks "intensified," and the Steelers made the deal, getting a 2018 fifth-round pick in addition to McDonald in the trade.
"So, fast forward, now I'm here," McDonald said. "I'm ready to get things rolling."
So far, it has been something of a whirlwind for McDonald. He was with the 49ers for a preseason game Sunday night in Minneapolis, flew back on the team charter and landed at 4 a.m. in San Francisco, and got a call in the morning from Lynch saying he was being traded to the Steelers.
"Your mindset is immediately ramping into what needs to get done," McDonald said. "The Steelers reached out to me, and I had playbook in my hand within one hour."
McDonald didn't waste any time. He packed a suitcase and headed for his new team, landing 1 a.m. Tuesday in Pittsburgh. He accompanied the team to Charlotte, N.C., for a last-second, 17-14 victory.
Instead of returning to San Francisco to pick up more belongings, McDonald said he will spend the holiday weekend at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex "kind of getting ahead on Week 1."
"I have a rock-star wife, and she's handling everything," McDonald said. "I'm lucky to have her."
That's the way the Steelers feel about McDonald. Hopefully, this attempt to strengthen their tight-end position will work better than the previous one.
