The Final Grade For the 2021 49ers Tight Ends
George Kittle still is one of the best tight ends in the NFL, but 2021 was a down season for him.
He failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards despite playing in 14 regular season games, his blocking took a step back and he was injured the entire season. He hurt his calf Week 1, when on the Injured Reserve List for two weeks and returned for the rest of the season, but never seemed 100 percent healthy.
During the 49ers' final six games of the season (including the playoffs), he averaged just 26.3 receiving yards per game -- a lower average during that critical span than Deebo Samuel (78.5 receiving yards per game), Brandon Aiyuk (62.7 receiving yards per game) and Jauan Jennings (30.2 receiving yards per game).
Which means Kittle was the fourth-option in the 49ers passing game when the seasons concluded. Highly strange.
Kittle still is capable of playing at an A-plus level when healthy, which hasn't been often the past two seasons. He injured himself Week 1 each of the past two years. It's possible his body is beginning to break down. He'll be 29 next season.
His understudies are quality backups who don't play as much as they should. Charlie Woerner is a good run blocker who improved tremendously from Year 1 of his career to Year 2. He's not much of a route runner, but he is difficult to tackle in the open field because he's so strong.
And then there's Ross Dwelley, an excellent route runner who has some of the best hand-eye coordination of all the tight ends in the NFL, but the 49ers rarely throw him the ball. This season they threw him five passes. He caught four for 51 yards and a touchdown.
The 49ers underused their tight ends in 2021.
FINAL GRADE: A-MINUS
