The San Francisco 49ers added another healthy tight end as George Kittle continues working toward his return from a torn Achilles.
San Francisco announced Saturday that it signed Tanner McLachlan to a one-year contract and waived rookie tight end Khalil Dinkins with a non-football injury designation. The move came the same day general manager John Lynch confirmed that Kittle would open training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list.
McLachlan is not being brought in to replace everything Kittle provides. His signing does, however, give the 49ers another available body for practices and preseason games while their star tight end remains sidelined.
49ers Add Tanner McLachlan to Tight End Competition
McLachlan, 27, entered the NFL as a sixth-round selection by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2024 draft. He has appeared in two regular-season games while spending time with Cincinnati and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 6-foot-5, 244-pound tight end was released by the Chargers on May 12 after spending part of the 2025 season on their practice squad, according to the 49ers’ announcement.
McLachlan played at Southern Utah before transferring to Arizona. In 25 games for the Wildcats, including 18 starts, he caught 79 passes for 984 yards and six touchdowns. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors from the Associated Press in 2023.
His signing cost Dinkins his place on the roster. The 49ers had added Dinkins as an undrafted free agent in April, but his non-football injury designation left San Francisco with one fewer healthy tight end entering camp.
That distinction matters at this point in the calendar. Tight ends absorb significant practice work as receivers, in-line blockers and special-teams contributors, making sheer availability important during the opening weeks of camp.
George Kittle Opens Camp on Active/PUP List
Kittle is recovering from the Achilles tear he suffered in January. Lynch said the 49ers are pleased with the veteran’s progress and that Kittle is doing everything possible to be available for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne.
Opening camp on active/PUP does not automatically rule Kittle out for the first four games of the regular season.
Players placed on active/PUP before camp remain on the 90-man roster and can be activated at any point after receiving medical clearance. They cannot participate in practice while carrying the designation.
That gives San Francisco flexibility to let Kittle continue his rehabilitation without forcing an immediate decision about his regular-season availability.
It also creates additional summer opportunities for the other tight ends. McLachlan can now compete for practice repetitions and a possible depth or practice-squad role while the 49ers evaluate how much work Kittle will be able to handle before Week 1.
McLachlan Signing Is About Depth, Not Replacing Kittle
The timing makes the connection between the two developments clear, but expectations for McLachlan should remain measured.
He has only two NFL appearances and joins the roster at the beginning of camp rather than after a full offseason in the offense. His immediate task will be learning the system quickly, contributing on special teams and showing that his size and college receiving production can translate into a useful depth role.
Kittle’s status remains the far more consequential issue for the offense. He is one of San Francisco’s most important blockers and pass-catchers, and his availability would shape both the passing game and the team’s personnel flexibility against the Rams.
McLachlan gives the 49ers another option while that situation develops. His signing is a practical training-camp move, but one made more necessary by the uncertainty surrounding the position’s biggest name.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post San Francisco 49ers Announce TE Signing After George Kittle News appeared first on HEAVY.