The competition for the fourth spot on the tight end depth chart may not get many San Francisco 49ers fans revved up.
However, this competition could end up coming down to two players with ties to Northern California in Jake Tonges and Ross Dwelley.
Obviously, George Kittle is the No. 1 tight end on the depth chart as he is the best tight end in all of football. San Francisco passed on drafting a tight end, but once the Niners signed Luke Farrell in the offseason, it was clear he would be the backup to Kittle.
However, the third and fourth spots still remain very much up for grabs.
This battle does not have much intrigue because it would come as a minor shock if the third- or fourth-string tight ends get any targets on the season. Yet, these players often do the dirty work of blocking for their playmakers or playing on special teams, so they play an important (if somewhat boring) role.
Tonges was born in Ohio but was raised in Los Gatos in the southern part of the Bay Area and played in college at Cal. With the Golden Bears in his collegiate career, he had 620 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He spent all of last season with the Niners but mostly saw time on special teams.
Dwelley is a familiar face for many Niners fans. The Sonora native spent 2018 to 2023 with San Francisco and had 518 receiving yards in that time with five touchdown catches. He spent last season with the Atlanta Falcons but has returned to the Niners. He could definitely be a cut candidate, but his history with the team could keep him around.
In NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco's recent 53-man roster prediction, he has Kittle, Farrell, Brayden Willis, and Tonges making the team. However, he adds an addendum, writing, "Ross Dwelley is also very much in the picture, as there figures to be competition down to the wire for which player wins the fourth spot. It could come down to special teams. But the 49ers might also choose the younger option."
It may end up being a coin flip between these two guys with ties to Northern California. Dwelley has more experience and familiarity in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, but Tonges is the younger option at the age of 26 while Dwelley is 30.
This is not a camp battle with huge implications, but it is still at least a little interesting given the fact that two local guys are competing for that final tight end spot on the roster.
Editor's note: The 49ers recently released Dwelley to make room for defensive lineman Shakel Brown, according toThe Athletic's Matt Barrows. This article was written before the report was made.
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