The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired San Francisco 49ers tight end Vance McDonald via trade early Tuesday afternoon. The Steelers traded their 2018 4th round pick but got back the 49ers 2018 fifth round pick. Given the 49ers and Steelers season projections, this is likely a swap on less than 15 picks in the draft.
Vance McDonald Traded to Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have been making these last minute roster additions in the past few seasons. The team traded for Justin Gibert around this time last season and signed Ross Cockrell before the fourth preseason game in 2015.
McDonald is the next in the line and may be competing for starting time in 2017, akin to the situation Cockrell wound up in. Last season McDonald averaged 16.3 yards per catch, 8.1 yards after the catch and scored four touchdowns. Jesse James averaged 8.7 yards per catch, 3.1 yards after the catch and scored three times.
The Steelers tight end position was clearly the weakness of the team. James was the incumbent starter, but he had not shown any progress through the first several preseason games. The Steelers saw that all off-season and knew he could not be a full-time starter. Xavier Grimble has been hot and cold, David Johnson is a very limited player, while Phazahn Odom and Jake McGee are mere projects. This was not a position of strength in the least.
For the 49ers, they were likely to cut the tight end, and figured moving up a couple spots was a better option. Kyle Shanahan did not draft McDonald and did not have a place for him in the future. Rookies George Kittle and Cole Hikutini have received favorable reviews, as well as veterans Blake Bell and Brent Celek proving to be valuable commodities to an otherwise young team. The 49ers simply was not invested in McDonald. Coming out with a jump upward in the fourth round is good enough.
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