The 49ers just brought back a familiar face to their tight end room.
Ross Dwelley has signed a one-year deal with the 49ers according to the team. The 49ers originally signed Dwelley as an unrestricted free agent in 2018 and he spent the first six seasons of his career in Santa Clara before signing with the Falcons last year. Now, he’s back.
Adjust your Super Bowl odds accordingly.
In seven career seasons, Dwelley has 45 catches, 523 yards and 5 touchdowns. He most likely will be the 49ers’ No. 3 tight end behind George Kittle, who’s probably a future Hall of Famer, and Luke Farrell, who has 36 catches, 318 yards and 0 touchdowns in his four-year career. Which means Dwelley might be a better receiver than Farrell.
Meanwhile, Farrell is a much better blocker than Dwelley, who tries hard but doesn’t have the mass or strength to move people. So Dwelley is a pass-catching specialist who rarely catches the ball. Last season with the Falcons, he caught one pass for five yards. And he just turned 30 in January. So he might not have much left in the tank.
At a minimum, he can play special teams and backup George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk. Because Dwelley is the only player on the roster other than Juszczyk who can pay fullback in a pinch. Which means Dwelley is versatile if not impactful.
Since the drafted ended, the 49ers now have signed two players — Dwelley and D.J. Humphies. Don’t be surprised if they sign someone else soon.
