The 49ers are dealing a player most assumed would be a Week 1 starter.
The team is trading tight end Vance McDonald and a fifth-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2018 Draft according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
49ers trading TE Vance McDonald and a fifth-round pick to the Steelers for a fourth-round pick, per sources. Steelers upgrade TE.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 29, 2017
McDonald, 27, received a five-year, $35 million contract extension late last season by then general manager Trent Baalke, in what many saw as an indication that Baalke’s job was safe. McDonald was drafted by Baalke in the second round of the 2013 draft. McDonald is now the second veteran casualty to be cut by the new regime of general manager John Lynch, with longtime linebacker Ahmad Brooks being released last Friday. The 49ers will take a cap hit of $4.2 million for releasing McDonald.
With McDonald gone, rookie George Kittle will likely take his place as the team’s starting tight end, and will compete with Logan Paulsen and Garrett Celek for reps. Kittle has turned some heads in preseason, scoring a touchdown on an impressive catch-and-run in the 49ers’ second preseason game.
McDonald was an uneven performer in his four years with the 49ers, showing both flashes of potential and a proclivity to drop catchable passes. In all McDonald caught 64 passes for 866 yards and scored seven touchdowns.