San Francisco 49ers
Jun 13, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Vance McDonald (89) runs during the San Francisco 49ers minicamp at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
This offseason, San Francisco 49ers fans will have veteran and rookie tight ends battling out to see who will get the most snaps come game day.
The San Francisco 49ers have a position battle on their hands. As the team ended minicamp, they entered a month-long break before they enter the ever important training camp. It is in training camp where the starters separate themselves from the backups.
Last season, the team's starting tight end was Vance McDonald. McDonald didn't set the football world on fire but at times he flashed the athletic ability that made him a second-round pick. He also showed improvement in catching the ball. A much needed area of improvement considering his moniker "hands of stone".
All of this led previous general manager Trent Baalke to extend him towards the end of last season even though many suspected Baalke would be fired. Nevertheless, McDonald is not an elite tight end. He has the physical tools if he can reduce his drop rate.
Further hurting his chances is the fact that the new front office has zero ties to him. First, they not only brought in competition when free agency began in Logan Paulsen they also drafted athletically-talented George Kittle. During the draft, the front office fielded calls for McDonald from other teams. In the end, no trades were made but the 49ers made it clear that McDonald was available.
Making matters worse, the 49ers then signed undrafted rookie Cole Hikutini, who many had a draftable grade on. With three new tight ends, this has become a four-way battle royale for the top-two starting spots. Let's take a look at each candidate for the job.
San Francisco 49ers
Sep 24, 2016; Huntington, WV, USA; Louisville Cardinals tight end Cole Hikutini (18) makes a catch for a touchdown while being defended by Marshall Thundering Herd linebacker Frankie Hernandez (35) in the first half at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Cole Hikutini
Cole Hikutini hails from Louisville University in which he ended with career totals of 69 catches with 1016 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns in two seasons as a cardinal. He averaged 14.7 yards-per-catch in that span.
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Hikutini displayed a knack for finding the soft spot in zones. He also showed solid route running ability and excellent hands. In fact, his hands were probably his best attribute when you consider all of his skills. Hikutini, however, is not a complete tight end. There is a reason why he went un-drafted after all. He has one flaw but it is a major flaw. He is a liability in the blocking game. Hikutini is not capable of blocking NFL defenders with his current blocking skillset.
This is not to say that he could never develop into a competent blocker down the road. But, in his rookie season, Hikutini should not be counted on to block. Still, he brings a lot as a pass-catching tight end. Will his reliable hands and solid route-running be enough to get him playing time come Sunday?
That remains in question to this point. However, in a tight race, it could be enough to earn the undrafted rookie some snaps.
San Francisco 49ers
Jun 13, 2017; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Logan Paulsen (82) catches the ball during the San Francisco 49ers minicamp at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Logan Paulsen
Logan Paulsen is a former player for current 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan back when coach Shanny was the offensive coordinator for the Washington Redskins. During that time, Paulsen was used mostly as an inline blocking tight end.
Actually, Paulsen has been used that way for the entirety of his career because he is damn fine blocking tight end. He is not a bad pass-catching tight end, but that is definitely not his strongest skillset.
If Paulsen gets the nod for one of the starting two, it will be because he can wall off elite defenders while also providing something in the passing game. Some fans might think that the 49ers already have that in the way of Garrett Celek. Celek is a current 49ers tight end who is known more for his blocking than his receiving ability.
However, Celek has suffered from serious back injuries over the years which have cost him several games for multiple seasons. In addition, these injuries have reduced his blocking ability. At this stage, Paulsen is a clear upgrade over Celek. Expect Celek to be let go after the pre-season barring injury to another tight end.
San Francisco 49ers
Oct 31, 2015; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end George Kittle (46) reaches out to catch a pass while chased by by Maryland Terrapins defensive back Anthony Nixon (20) and linebacker Brett Zanotto (38) during the first quarter against the Maryland Terrapins at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
George Kittle
George Kittle played his college ball for Iowa Hawkeyes along with fellow 49ers 2017 rookie, quarterback C.J. Beathard. Kittle played a minimal role as a pass-catching tight end for the Hawkeyes as their program really centered around pounding the rock.
The numbers didn't just hurt Kittle, they ended up hurting Beathard as well. This is in large part why the 49ers felt so strongly in trading up to grab Beathard in the third-round. They felt that he was a better player than what his numbers demonstrated.
The same can be said for Kittle. The first thing to keep in mind with Kittle is that he is a freak athlete. At the 2016 NFL Combine, Kittle tested remarkably well posting a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, a 35-inch vertical, and 132-inch broad jump.
All of the above mentioned athletic testing point to an explosive athlete capable of outrunning linebackers and safeties.
And yet, what makes Kittle the most intriguing is his pro-ready blocking ability. His blocking ability is well developed and way beyond that of a usual rookie.
Prediction
In the end, expect the veterans to win out the competition. The majority of the snaps will end up going to McDonald while the second most snaps will go to Paulsen. Coming in off the bench will be rookie George Kittle.
As far as the undrafted rookie, expect Hikutini to be stowed away on the practice squad. He needs to develop his blocking ability before head coach Shanahan will play him on regular basis.
The only other variation that I see is that McDonald continues to have issues with drops. In that case expect an even split between Paulsen and Kittle. What happens with McDonald will hinge between what the team can get for him in a trade or they may just release him for peanuts.
