The 49ers are bringing back veteran tight end Ross Dwelley, who had a quality rapport with his position mate, George Kittle.
The San Francisco 49ers somewhat shockingly opted not to select a tight end in the 2025 NFL Draft, which was a bit of an odd decision in light of this year's class being awfully deep at the position and considering there aren't exactly any bona fide pass-catching options behind All-Pro George Kittle on the depth chart.
And, no. Luke Farrell does not count for a quality No. 2.
So, from that vantage point, it makes sense the Niners welcomed back one of their longtime tight ends into the fray, Ross Dwelley, who spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons after previously being with San Francisco from his rookie 2018 campaign through 2023.
The 49ers announced the news on the Friday following the draft:
Welcome back, boss 🫡
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) May 2, 2025
It's a one-year deal, according to the team's website. And while the specific aspects of the contract aren't yet known, it's likely to be at the veteran's minimum. It'll be interesting to see how much, if any, guaranteed money is on the contract, as that'll be a pretty big determining factor if he makes the 53-man roster this season.
Dwelley has 45 receptions for 523 yards and five touchdowns over his seven-year career after going undrafted out of UC San Diego.
The Northern California native's best season was back in 2020 when, filling in for an injured Kittle, he enjoyed 245 yards on 19 catches with a touchdown.
"Ross the Boss," as Kittle affectionately calls him, had a solid rapport with "The People's Tight End" for quite an elongated stretch, although Dwelley never quite turned into that bona fide TE2 player for which head coach Kyle Shanahan long sought.
Considering the lack of proven depth behind Kittle, though, it makes sense a reunion with the 30-year-old veteran is taking place.