49ers roster: Charlie Woerner forgotten or important in 2022?

The 49ers aren’t making life easy on Charlie Woerner entering 2022, as he faces some stiff roster competition at tight end despite his own upsides.

Two years ago, not long after the San Francisco 49ers invested a sixth-round NFL Draft pick in him, then-rookie tight end Charlie Woerner fully revealed in training camp why he only had 34 receptions over a four-year collegiate tenure at Georgia.

Putting it bluntly, Woerner’s route-running skills in his first camp were simply atrocious, and he didn’t figure to be much of a pass-catching option anytime soon.

Yet that’s not why the Niners drafted him. Known for exceptional run-blocking abilities, Woerner was going to be pegged for those jumbo, run-first packages head coach Kyle Shanahan can frequently run. It’s what Woerner did in college, and San Francisco was looking to replace blocking tight end Levine Toilolo at the time anyway.

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Generated 8/4/2022.

Interestingly enough, though, Woerner actually saw more offensive snaps in 2021 than the No. 2 tight end behind All-Pro George Kittle, Ross Dwelley, but a margin of 249 to 195.

So, would that mean Woerner is slated for more active duty entering 2022?

Not so fast.

What Charlie Woerner must do to ascend 49ers depth chart in 2022

Woerner getting an uptick in field time last season over Dwelley suggested the latter could be destined to suit up elsewhere this year, yet the 49ers brought the latter back on another one-year contract.

Additionally, the Niners inked tight ends Tyler Kroft, Tanner Hudson and Troy Fumagalli to compete for back-of-the-roster roles.

Kroft does pose a threat to what’ll likely be a secondary or tertiary tight end role, yet Woerner does have the bonus of being a quality run-blocker, exemplified by his solid 75.4 and 74.3 run- and pass-blocking grades, respectively, from Pro Football Focus.

If Woerner is somehow able to improve his pass-catching and route-running skills by any measure, that’d be a massive advantage for him.

Why Charlie Woerner winds up being forgotten by 49ers

Head coach Kyle Shanahan has long sought out a complementary tight end to Kittle, and Dwelley was essentially that for 2019 and most of 2020, whereas Woerner was the afterthought.

Kroft, meanwhile, hasn’t had a highly productive season since 2017 when he recorded 404 yards and seven touchdowns with the Cincinnati Bengals, and injuries have gotten in the way since, too.

Yet San Francisco might be hoping the 29-year-old Kroft somehow reverts back into that kind of role, while Hudson has also flashed some promise during training camp, too.

If Woerner fails to distinguish himself among the rest of the pack behind Kittle, it’ll be extremely tough for him to make the 53-man roster even if the 49ers elect to keep four tight ends.

Chances Charlie Woerner makes 49ers’ 53-man roster this season

Entering year three of his rookie contract, Woerner remains squarely on the bubble and will face threats for his job from the aforementioned tight ends competing with him.

True, the Niners depth chart thinned out a bit in the wake of news that fellow tight end Jordan Matthews suffered a torn ACL during training camp, but that doesn’t eliminate Dwelley, Hudson, Kroft or Fumagalli and direct challengers to Woerner’s roster spot.

Dwelley and Kroft likely figure to be the favorites, yet Woerner might have the edge over both, at least in terms of blocking support. That could play a major role, especially if Shanahan trusts Dwelley over Kroft as a primary backup to Kittle. Or, just as likely, San Francisco keeps four tight ends (it has before under Shanahan), meaning Woerner would effectively have to beat out only Hudson and Fumagalli.

A much easier proposition.

Failure to do so, however, could ultimately mean Woerner’s tenure with the team lasts only two seasons, though, meaning he’ll be a player to watch between now and Week 1.