49ers Add Six-Year Veteran to Tight End Room

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

49ers Add Six-Year Veteran to Tight End Room

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Parker Hurley | Last updated Jul 30, 2026 6:00 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers' tight end room was one of the weakest positions they had on the roster heading into training camp. So, it is not a huge surprise that it took them a couple of practices to realize they needed more depth. The team plans to sign six-year veteran Josiah Deguara to their roster. The corresponding move has yet to be announced.

San Francisco 49ers sign tight end Josiah Deguara

Deguara was a third-round pick of the Green Bay Packers. He spent his first four seasons with the team. However, his career-high was in his second NFL season, when he recorded 245 yards receiving. He followed that up with 114 yards, and then he had just 65 yards in the final year of his rookie deal.

The Packers did not re-sign Deguara, who went on to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, he only had 14 yards and moved on to the Arizona Cardinals last year. He played in 12 games, but only put up 21 yards.

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One of the reasons Deguara has been able to stick around the NFL for so long is his versatility. For example, he played 84 snaps for the Cardinals, and 43 were as a tight end, but 17 were in the slot, 12 out wide, and 12 in the backfield.

In 2024, he played 86 snaps with 15 in the backfield, 22 in the slot, and eight out wide. So, he is more of a blocker who can motion into the backfield and give the team matchup advantages from that perspective than he is a pass catcher.

This makes sense for the 49ers. They have Jake Tonges as a capable pass catcher behind George Kittle. They did not lose much passing game production when Kittle went down. However, the run game completely fell apart without Kittle.

Luke Farrell was not good enough as a blocking tight end, and Tonges is not the same blocker as he is a pass catcher.

So, Deguara is not a strong pass catcher, but he does give the 49ers some advantages in the run game that would likely push him ahead of Bradyen Willis on the 49ers' depth chart.

He has not been a great hit for a former third-round pick, but Deguara has made the roster for the team he was in training camp with for six straight years. He has a good chance to make the 49ers as a depth tight end.

This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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