3 burning questions for 49ers tight ends in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: Where will Charlie Woerner land on 49ers depth chart?
San Francisco sought tight end help for much of the offseason and ended up using one of its five NFL Draft selections on one, Charlie Woerner, in Round 5.
Woerner, like Chase Harrell, wasn’t exactly known for his prolific pass-catching skills at the collegiate level. Over Woerner’s four seasons at Georgia, he managed a total of just 34 catches for 376 yards and a lone touchdown.
Instead, Woerner was known for his blocking prowess, which is likely one of the main reasons why head coach Kyle Shanahan inked the tight end as a target. Simply put, Woerner is a shoo-in replacement for Levine Toilolo, who left in free agency for the New York Giants.
This should free up George Kittle for more pass-catching duties, but that’s not the question here. More importantly, where does Woerner land on the depth chart?
Going back to Ross Dwelley, he adequately filled in for Kittle two games last season, emerging as an unlikely hero during the 49ers’ Oct. 31 win over the Arizona Cardinals last year and even managing two touchdowns over the course of the season.
But Dwelley’s upside is limited. He’s not a yards-after-the-catch threat, and he’s nowhere near the blocker both Kittle and Woerner are.
If San Francisco can get Woerner into a position where he’s both an excellent blocker and legitimate pass-catching threat, Dwelley’s stock will ultimately fall while Woerner’s rises.