No. 2: Tight End Production
The 49ers brought in three new faces to the tight end position this offseason — Logan Paulsen, and rookies George Kittle and Cole Hikutini.
This trio could push incumbents like Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek and Blake Bell out of the picture. But it’s also possible one, or more, of the returning veterans remain, as no one has really pulled away from the competition.
Kittle missed five training camp days with a hamstring issue but has since returned to practice.
These are costly absences, though, and it’s a real possibility the highly touted pass catcher might not figure into starting plans right away.
Paulsen and Celek are more traditional blocking tight ends, and Hikutini shouldn’t be considered an option aside from his pass-catching abilities.
This probably explains why McDonald, not Kittle, is listed first on San Francisco’s first unofficial depth chart:
#49ers tight end depth chart:
— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) August 8, 2017
1. Vance McDonald
2. George Kittle
3. Logan Paulsen
McDonald hasn’t done much to distinguish himself at camp, so that tells you what you need to know here.