The 49ers came into camp with more questions than they’d like in a few spots, and tight end is one of them. George Kittle is still the headliner, but behind him, San Francisco has been searching for reliable depth. That’s why Luke Farrell has become such a notable name in a room that didn’t exactly inspire confidence a year ago.
Farrell’s first season in San Francisco didn’t give the 49ers much to hang their hat on. His work in the passing game was so quiet that Jake Tonges, who opened the season with no career receptions and had been on the practice squad before that, wound up drawing more attention. For a player the 49ers paid a hefty price to bring in, that wasn’t the kind of debut anyone had in mind.
This summer, though, the tone around Farrell has shifted.
Kittle didn’t hold back when asked about him at training camp.
"I think Luke's just having an absolutely stellar camp. I think he looks like a completely different player," Kittle told reporters at training camp.
"His confidence in the offense is fantastic and he's just out there making plays every single day. You know, he's running better.
"That's what anybody that was like hard on Luke last year. I'm just like, name one one skilled player who's come into our offense in year one and played at a high level.
"Everybody struggles in their first year because it's such a complex offense and what we require you to do as a tight end is everything.
"And so I think he has the offense more under his belt. He has a better understanding of it.
Gives him confidence to play fast and not think. And I think Luke's going to have a fantastic season this year."
Kyle Shanahan echoed that view after the training camp session with the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I would totally agree [with Kittle's assessment]. I think he’s definitely a lot more confident just knowing what he’s doing.
"I think when you go through a whole year, you know how to prepare for it, to me, a different way.
"I think he came in in OTAs prepared at a different level, and it’s carried right over to training camp, and I think he’s having a hell of a camp.”
That kind of praise matters for Farrell because the 49ers don’t have much margin for error at tight end. If Kittle were to get hurt again after the Achilles injury he suffered back in January, San Francisco would be leaning hard on the rest of that room. Farrell’s offseason has at least given the team a reason to believe he can handle more than he showed last year.
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