An early look at 5 players on the 49ers’ 2019 roster bubble
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: Tight End Garrett Celek
There’s a good argument to be had the 49ers need a complementary tight end to last year’s standout star, George Kittle.
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In 2017, it seemed like veteran TE Garrett Celek could fill that role, as his “Celek Time” moniker was one of the Niners’ bright spots amid an otherwise tough season. But Celek’s production dropped off significantly in 2018, and he finished the year with more accepted penalties against him (six) than receptions (five).
Turning 31 years old this May, it’s possible Celek’s best playing days are now behind him. Cutting him would save over $2 million in cap space with a dead-money hit of only $625,000. This is a classic case of the Niners likely seeking out an upgrade over Celek — something the team might already be doing, as they recently worked out former Buffalo Bills tight end Chris Gragg.
San Francisco doesn’t have a lot of tight end depth behind Kittle and Celek, so this workout might be little more than just exploratory.
Still, this year’s NFL Draft is pretty deep at the position, suggesting the Niners could use a mid- to late-round pick to snatch up a possible replacement for Celek.
For now, Celek is on the stronger side of the bubble, but that could change easily.