49ers planning to phase out Ross Dwelley in 2020 NFL Draft?

The San Francisco 49ers have the best tight end in the league, George Kittle, but rumors and actions suggest No. 2 tight end Ross Dwelley could be bumped by the NFL Draft.

On the positive side, the San Francisco 49ers don’t at all need to worry about finding an impact player at tight end leading into the upcoming season.

This, thanks to the 2019 All-Pro, George Kittle, who remains the Niners’ top offensive weapon after yet another stellar campaign last season to continue his red-hot career at the pro level.

Yet San Francisco has dropped some hints it’s not totally confident in the depth behind Kittle. The group took a small but noticeable hit by losing veteran tight end Levine Toilolo in free agency to the New York Giants. This was followed by reports the 49ers were in on then-free agents, Austin Hooper and Jordan Reed.

Hooper signed a lucrative deal with the Cleveland Browns, while Reed remains a free agent.

The Niners’ No. 2 tight end on the depth chart behind Kittle is third-year pro and former undrafted free agent, Ross Dwelley, who filled in adequately enough in a featured role last season when Kittle was dealing with both ankle and ribs injuries. Over the span of the season, Dwelley managed 15 receptions for 91 yards, two touchdowns and eight crucial first-down conversions, including a game-winning first down against the Arizona Cardinals on Halloween.

Yet that could be Dwelley’s ceiling at the pro level: a moderate pass-catching tight end with little room for creating yards after the catch, sub-par blocking skills and little else.

Granted, a player like Hooper would be a clear-cut upgrade over Dwelley. And it makes sense, outside the financial ramifications, why the 49ers would be interested in a prolific veteran to pair with Kittle. Few defenses are adequately equipped to defend against two proven pass-catching tight ends.

With San Francisco missing out on Hooper and apparently not too interested in Reed, attention now shifts to the 2020 NFL Draft.

Additional reports state the Niners have gone far beyond interest in veteran tight ends, including meetings with prospective tight ends who are potentially going to be available when the 49ers are to select in April’s draft.

It’s important to acknowledge a lot of what fans read and reporters hear this time of year is part of teams’ proverbial “smoke and mirrors” campaigns, which aim to mislead and confuse any franchise’s true intentions. The cliche “keeping the cards close” could possibly apply here, especially considering the 2020 NFL Draft isn’t particularly deep at this position.

Yet there are some low-risk prospects with potentially high upsides, who could be had on day three of the draft where San Francisco owns five total picks.

Should the 49ers bring aboard a player in this vein on day three, it could be problematic for Dwelley’s long-term role with the squad. It wouldn’t automatically mean he’s in danger of losing a roster spot. But the route to secure the No. 2 role behind Kittle would become that much tougher between now and Week 1.