Tight end is not at the top of the San Francisco 49ers\u2019 offseason checklist.<\/p>\n
It simply can\u2019t be.<\/p>\n
With needs along the defensive line, questions at wide receiver, and long-term roster construction always in play, investing premium draft capital at tight end doesn\u2019t immediately jump off the page, especially for a team that already has one of the best to ever do it in George Kittle. But 2026 introduces uncertainty and uncertainty changes conversations.<\/p>\n
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The George Kittle Variable<\/p>\n
Kittle is coming off a torn Achilles suffered in the Wild Card round. He\u2019ll be 33 entering the 2026 season, he is at an age where recovery timelines grow more complicated and durability becomes less predictable.<\/p>\n
Even if everything goes perfectly, there\u2019s no guarantee he\u2019ll be ready for Week 1. And even if he is, expecting peak form immediately would be optimistic.<\/p>\n
For an offense that relies heavily on tight end versatility, both in the run game and over the middle of the field, that matters.<\/p>\n
Jake Tonges Has Been Solid But Depth Still Matters<\/p>\n
Jake Tonges has proven to be dependable. He\u2019s assignment-sound, capable as a blocker, and has shown he can handle rotational snaps without the offense falling apart.<\/p>\n
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But if Kittle misses extended time, the 49ers would still need more than just steady.<\/p>\n
They\u2019d need someone who can threaten defenses vertically while holding his own in-line. Someone who keeps the playbook open rather than shrinking it.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where the draft conversation gets interesting.<\/p>\n
Why Justin Joly Could Be the Steal<\/p>\n
If Justin Joly is available when San Francisco makes its third-round selection, the value could be too strong to pass up.<\/p>\n
Joly quietly put together an impressive 2025 campaign, hauling in 49 receptions for 489 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 10 yards per carry when used on designed runs and gadget plays, showcasing the kind of versatility that would immediately intrigue Kyle Shanahan.<\/p>\n
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Those numbers won\u2019t dominate national headlines, but they reflect efficiency and red-zone reliability. Joly has shown he can find soft spots in coverage, win after the catch, and handle multi-dimensional usage.<\/p>\n
At his size, which is 6 ‘3 255lbs by the way, and with his ability to block and contribute creatively, he projects as more than just a traditional backup. He\u2019s a developmental tight end who could carve out snaps early if needed.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why some evaluators believe he could end up being one of the better values in this draft class.<\/p>\n
Not a Priority But Smart Insurance<\/p>\n
Tight end isn\u2019t the 49ers\u2019 biggest need.<\/p>\n
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But it might quietly be one of their most important contingencies.<\/p>\n
With Kittle\u2019s availability uncertain and the team firmly in a championship window, adding depth with real upside makes sense. Jake Tonges provides stability. Justin Joly could provide the future. If the board falls right in the third round, this wouldn\u2019t be a luxury pick. It would be forward-thinking roster management. And if Joly develops the way some expect? The 49ers might look back on it as one of the steals of the draft just like George Kittle was in 2017.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tight end is not at the top of the San Francisco 49ers\u2019 offseason checklist. It simply can\u2019t be.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":772491,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2080],"tags":[220,7,6066,9509,54566,6,1161,252,2624,2623],"class_list":{"0":"post-772490","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-francisco-49ers","8":"tag-49ers","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-george-kittle","11":"tag-jake-tonges","12":"tag-justin-joly","13":"tag-nfl","14":"tag-san-francisco","15":"tag-san-francisco-49ers","16":"tag-sanfrancisco","17":"tag-sanfrancisco49ers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116123983422038976","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=772490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/772490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/772491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=772490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=772490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=772490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}