ExPro Bowl tight end agrees to 1year deal
The 49ers reached agreement on a oneyear contract with tight end Jordan Reed ,aPro Bowl selection in 2016 whose career has been dogged by injuries, general manager John Lynch told reporters Monday.
Reed, 30, whose last regularseason game was on Dec. 9, 2018, will sign an incentiveladen deal, ESPN reported. He will reunite with head coach Kyle Shanahan, who was his offensive coordinator in Washington during his 2013 rookie season.
Last year, Reed sat out the season after suffering his seventh documented concussion in Washington’s third preseason game. Reed has missed 47 of 112 regularseason games in his career and ended the past three seasons on injured reserve. He’s also missed games with toe, hamstring, chest, shoulder and quadriceps injuries.
“It’s well documented he’s had multiple concussions,” Lynch said. “There’s always in situations like this, there’s a reason a guy like Jordan Reed is (available), right? So there is some riskreward. We got to a point where we felt that the risk we’re taking on was worth it with the potential reward.”
Reed had three straight 50catch seasons from 2014 through 2016, a stretch headlined by an 87catch, 952yard, 11touchdown campaign in 2015.
“I think everyone is aware of Jordan’s ability,” Shanahan said. “When he’s been healthy, he’s played at an extremely high level. He’s been one of the best thirddown tight ends in the league when he’s been healthy. I was able to spend a year with him, so I’m familiar with the person and the player.”
Reed will join a position group led by firstteam AllPro George Kittle, whose agent is in negotiations with the 49ers on a contract extension that would make Kittle the NFL’s highestpaid tight end.
Kittle’s primary backup had been Ross Dwelley, a 2018 undrafted free agent with 17 career catches. The 49ers drafted tight end Charlie Woerner in the sixth round in April. Woerner was primarily a blocker at Georgia, where he had 34 career catches.
“I know (Reed is) hungry to come in to play football,” Shanahan said. “He hasn’t gotten to do much of that lately. When you have a talented guy who is hungry to play football, it works out if they can stay healthy. I think Jordan’s had some bad luck over the years. …
I hope he has some good luck here. If he does, I think it’s going to be a hell of a deal for the Niners. And a really good deal for him, also.”
Kittle negotiations: After they both met with Kittle on Monday for the first time in several months, Lynch and Shanahan expressed optimism that a longterm extension could be struck.
Last week, NFL Network reported there was a “disconnect” between the 49ers and Kittle’s agent, Jack Bechta, about Kittle’s value. Lynch said it was helpful to speak with Kittle in person.
“That’s what you welcome,” Lynch said. “We’ve tried to be respectful of the agentplayer thing, but it’s always nice just to talk with the player. I think there’s a great understanding that we’re in this thing together. We’re partners to try to get something done. Because it makes too much sense not to.”
Kittle and the rest of the 49ers’ veterans returned to the facility Monday, most of them for the first time since early February. They had been involved in coronavirus testing and quarantining since reporting to training camp last week.
“It was great to see George today for the first time,” Shanahan said. “… I feel really optimistic about it. Hopefully, something will happen sooner than later. I’m not too concerned about it, though.”
Transactions: The 49ers will place D.J. Reed on seasonending injured reserve after the versatile defensive back suffered a torn pectoral in June.
Lynch said Reed wouldn’t have been able to return until the first part of November, at the earliest.
“Ultimately, it was too difficult to keep a roster spot for something that may go into December,” Lynch said.
Reed, a 2018 fifthround pick who played primarily slot cornerback and free safety, was part of a defensive backfield that isn’t teeming with depth. Last year, Reed had 13 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 125 snaps.
In other transactions, the 49ers moved wide receiver Richie James, who suffered a broken wrist in June, from the reserve/COVID19 list to the active/nonfootball injury list. Defensive tackle Kentavius Street (knee) and wide receiver Shawn Poindexter (knee) were moved from the NFL list to the active roster.
Lynch said he’s not aware of any 49ers who intend to exercise their option to not play this season because of the coronavirus pandemic. No 49ers were among the 42 NFL players who had opted out as of Monday.