It’s the offseason, which means the San Francisco 49ers will be looking for a sidekick for George Kittle. Jake Tonges is a restricted free agent, while Luke Farrell is under contract through the 2027 season.
The 49ers hoped Farrell could serve as an in-line blocker, play in heavy personnel on offense, and contribute on special teams. Farrell played the fourth most snaps on special teams, but finished with as many tackles as Nick Martin, who played 196 fewer snaps than Farrell.
Farrell played 404 offensive
snaps. He played only eight snaps in Week 18, but saw that number grow to 19 in the Wild Card round and 34 in the Divisional Round, which was the most since Week 5. The idea was that the 250-pounder would help take the running game to another level. Statistically, Farrell struggled in pass protection.
So, a serviceable run blocker that allowed two sacks in limited action with a blown block rate that would have been higher than any starting offensive lineman in the NFL, with little prowess as a receiver, suggests the 49ers are leaving meat on the bone at the position.
The NFL is about evolving. Farrell will be 29 in 2026. If the 49ers want to move on from Farrell, they’d have to pay a small penalty. There is no longer a guaranteed salary, but the signing and option bonuses mean there would be a dead-money penalty of $3.4 million in 2026. If the team wanted to use one of their post-June 1 designations, they’d save $2.4 million in cap savings.
Cutting a veteran just to sign another injured one?
Kyle Pitts in a Kyle Shanahan offense would fix plenty of the team’s issues if he were to follow Raheem Morris to the Bay Area. Another tight end who the 49ers have been linked to before told his team he wants to find a new home this offseason.
On the surface, David Njoku makes sense. He’s 6’4″, 246 pounds with experience as a starter, not just a backup or a part-time player. Njoku lined up in the slot and as an in-line tight end, not to mention out wide. He was known for his athleticism, even clocking at 20.1 miles per hour–although that was back in the 2023 season.
The issue with Njoku is that his injury history suggests he’ll get banged up again in the future. Njoku dealt with a knee injury that forced him to miss the final four games of the 2025 season. He hyperextended his left knee during a Week 6 game. In 2024, Nojku missed three games with a high-ankle sprain, another game in December with a hamstring injury, and the final two games of the season with a knee injury.
In 2023, Njoku stayed healthy, and it’s no surprise that’s when he clocked his fastest time as a pro and had a career high with 81 receptions, 882 receiving yards, and six receiving touchdowns. But 2023 is a distant memory in the football world.
Njoku would be an upgrade across the board from Farrell and Tonges, but the risk of him sustaining another injury and the 49ers being back to square one is too high for what you’d have to pay him. Over the Cap predicts Njoku would cost $13 million per season.
On a roster that needs upgrades at wide receiver, the secondary, and another pass rusher, a tight end feels like a luxury unless you’re confident that player can turn your offense around. Njoku, albeit in Cleveland, did not show that.
The 49ers could still move on from Farrell if they choose, but a rookie makes more sense if they’re not going to swing for the fences on a player like Pitts.
