Getty Jordan Reed #86 of the Washington Redskins catches a deep pass during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on November 24, 2016 in Arlington, Texas.
During an offseason filled with talks about San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, the idea of adding another tight end seems ludicrous.
However, free agent tight end and 2016 Pro Bowl selection Jordan Reed may be the perfect match. Back before the 2020 NFL Draft, the 49ers reportedly discussed with Reed and the former Washington player’s agent about bringing the tight end to Santa Clara, California.
San Francisco may seem set with Kittle and a group of receivers that includes Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, but one would guess that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan wouldn’t turn down a guy that has proven to be one of the NFL’s most explosive tight ends when healthy.
However, the catch of “when healthy” is also why the team isn’t in a rush to sign Reed. Unfortunately, the former Florida Gator has suffered seven concussions since the beginning of his college days, which led to him missing the 2019 season entirely.
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What it Would Cost the 49ers to Land Reed
In some ways, Reed making his return from a year away in a No. 2 tight end role could be perfect for both the 49ers and the player.
Reed recently turned 30 on July 3, and while some tight ends have continued to play at a high level until their mid-30s, one has to think that Reed won’t be making plays at that age, especially with his injury history.
So, from the perspective of general manager John Lynch and the San Francisco front office, this means that getting Reed on an incentive-based deal and likely guaranteeing less than $1 million to the former Washington weapon is a very real possibility. No one can predict the exact situation or number that Reed would come into, but it would certainly be one that depends on his ability to make the roster, stay healthy and make plays.
And while that makes complete sense from the perspective of the 49ers, it also makes sense for Reed: he gets a return to the NFL, he joins a team that is expected to compete for another Super Bowl, and also won’t have to carry an immense burden in his first year back after the latest concussion.
How the 49ers Could Use Reed
Don’t get it twisted: there is no way that Reed should be able to cut into Kittle’s snaps. It’s farcical to think otherwise. The good news is that Shanahan can make the most of Reed’s presence without even having to consider that idea.
With a flurry of different packages and schemes, a versatile, athletic tight end coming in a second option only complicates the task of defending against the 49ers.
Two tight-end sets obviously set up well for the running game, but the explosiveness of Reed and Kittle would be a nightmare on play-action, where quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will have a burden of riches in terms of receiving options.
This doesn’t even touch on the idea that even some of the best NFL defenses don’t have multiple safeties or linebackers that can efficiently cover athletic tight ends like Kittle and Reed, much less have one.
In that scenario, something will have to give. One of Kittle, Reed or any of the lined-up receivers will face a mismatch or run towards the weak link in a zone defense, which only means more consistent production from San Francisco.
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Evan Reier is a sportswriter covering the San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com and local sports for the Montana Standard in Butte, Mont. Reach out to him on Twitter at @evanreier and join our 49ers community at Heavy on 49ers on Facebook.