5 biggest 49ers takeaways from first week of OTAs

49ers takeaway No. 4: Ross Dwelley takes the early lead for the TE2 spot

What’s been said about OTAs being invaluable for rookies to be noticed can also be extended to veterans who are in the middle of a positional battle.

Ross Dwelley had a down year in 2021, and as a result the 49ers assembled a few options behind him to challenge for the backup tight end role. A role that’s more important than it seems given the Niners’ preference for running the ball.

Additionally, it’s no secret head coach Kyle Shanahan would like to find a George Kittle clone to fully exploit mismatches from a two-TE set.

Dwelley doesn’t have to deal with a high draft pick (or any draft pick from this season) to keep his role, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t under threat.

For now, though, he’s made the best possible start to hold off the competition. Getting starters reps as a result of Kittle not participating, Trey Lance targeted Dwelley plenty of times in the media-attended session and he held on to all of those catches.

If Lance continues to throw the ball towards Dwelley and build a rapport, the latter should be considered the early favorite to retain his position.