49ers Agree to One-Year Deal with Jordan Reed

This could be major.

This could be major.

The 49ers agreed to a one-year deal with tight end Jordan Reed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 

Former Washington Football Team Pro Bowl TE Jordan Reed reached agreement on an incentive-laden, one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers, sources tell ESPN. Reed is 30, has a history of concussions, but when healthy - as he is now - he is one of the game’s elite tight ends.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 3, 2020

The deal is heavily incentive-based because Reed, 30, has had seven concussions, he missed all of 2019 and one more blow to the head could end his career.

But if he’s healthy, he could make the 49ers offense even more dangerous than it was last season.

Reed was one of the most dangerous tight ends in the NFL from 2015 to 2016. Those two seasons, he caught 153 passes, gained 1,638 receiving yards and scored 17 touchdowns. For comparison, George Kittle has scored 12 touchdowns in his entire career.

But the past three seasons, Reed has played just 19 games. Still, he has been effective when he has played. For his career, he has caught a whopping 73.8 percent of the passes that have come his way.

He’s big (6’2”, 240 lbs.), slippery and an expert at getting open over the middle. Meaning Jimmy Garoppolo should love him, if he makes it through training camp.

The 49ers have been trying to sign a second tight end all offseason -- they reportedly were interested in both Austin Hooper and Evan Engram. It seems the 49ers want to use more two-tight-end formations this season, which would make sense, considering they lost wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, and Deebo Samuel could miss the first month of the season with a broken foot. The 49ers need experienced pass-catchers, and Reed has caught 446 passes.

Reed is the third player the 49ers have signed this season who was drafted by Washington when Kyle Shanahan was its offensive coordinator -- left tackle Trent Williams and right guard Tom Compton are the other two. Shanahan is so loyal to the players he drafted in Washington and Atlanta.

It will be interesting to see if he’s as loyal to the players he has drafted in San Francisco. I wonder how George Kittle feels about the 49ers signing another tight end before extending his contract.

Stay tuned. Shanahan and John Lynch will speak about this signing today.

UPDATE: Here's what Lynch and Shanahan said about the 49ers agreeing to a deal with Reed.

LYNCH: "On the health, it's well documented. He has has multiple concussions. In situations like this, there's a reason a guy like Jordan Reed is out there. So, there is some risk-reward. We got to a point where we felt the risk we were taking on was worth it with the potential reward. That's where we're at. I'll let Kyle speak as to how we plan on utilizing Jordan."

SHANAHAN: "I think everyone is aware of Jordan's ability. When he has been healthy, he has played at an extremely high level and been one of the best third-down tight ends in the league when he has been healthy. I got to spend a year there (Washington) with him, so I'm familiar with the person and the player. 

"But when it comes to the tight ends, we'd always love to bring six tight ends into camp, and it's hard. Sometimes you bring five. Sometimes you bring six. Depends on whether there's two fullbacks or one fullback. Then when you cut down to 80, it makes that a lot harder. Adding six is something you're always asking for as a coach, because you use them so much and you need depth, so that was something we were hoping for anyway. 

"But when it became the possibility of Jordan Reed, things change a little bit, because now you're not just adding a number. You're adding a guy who, if he's healthy, everyone has seen how he has played in this league. So I'm really hoping Jordan can come in here. Just talking to him the last couple days to hear where he's at, to hear how he feels, I know he hasn't been on the field for a little bit, I know he's very hungry to get back out there.

"It was cool being able to talk to Trent Williams on Saturday a little bit about Jordan, because Trent spent a lot of time in Washington with him. I only got one year with him. I know he's hungry to come in and play football. He hasn't gotten to do much of that lately. And when you have a talented guy who's hungry to play football, it works out if they can stay healthy. 

"Jordan has had some back luck over the years. I know he's ready to go. I hope he has some good luck year and, 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."