49ers sign tight end to reserve/future deal

The San Francisco 49ers have signed tight end Hayden Rucci to a reserve/future contract, according to the NFL transaction wire.

Reserve/future deals allow NFL teams to retain the rights to players who were not on the active roster at the end of the season. These contracts officially go into effect at the start of the new league year on March 11, at which point the players will count against the team's salary cap.

The signing comes as tight end George Kittle's recovery timeline remains uncertain following the torn Achilles he suffered during the 49ers' playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Rucci (6-5, 247) entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin, signing with the Miami Dolphins in 2024. He spent most of his rookie season and the early portion of the 2025 campaign on Miami's practice squad. Rucci made his regular-season debut in Week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons before being waived on November 29, 2025.

The Detroit Lions claimed Rucci off waivers on December 1, 2025, but later waived him. He eventually returned to Miami's practice squad before landing in San Francisco during the postseason.

The 49ers signed Rucci to their practice squad ahead of their playoff matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, following Kittle's injury. By converting his deal into a reserve/future contract, San Francisco will continue evaluating the 24-year-old tight end as it looks ahead to the 2026 season.