Examining the fit: Andy Jones and MyCole Pruitt

By Scooter_McG

The 49ers have been linked to and brought in a bunch of WRs over the past few weeks. First, according to rumours, they wanted to trade for DaeSean Hamilton prior to news breaking that he tore his ACL working out. Then they tried out and subsequently signed Marqise Lee, but he lasted less than a week before getting injured. Following Lee's release, the team brought in journeyman Bennie Fowler. And the team has consistently been linked to Julio Jones. The team also recently added a different WR named Jones - 6'1", 217lbs WR Andy Jones who most recently saw NFL action for the Lions in 2018. 

Andy Jones was initially signed as an UDFA by the Cowboys in 2016, and spent the year on the practice squad. He bounced around with a few teams in 2017 - after being released by the Cowboys during training camp he spent time with the Texans and Lions, playing in 3 games but not recording any catches. In 2018 Jones stuck with the Lions, finishing the season with 11 catches for 80 yards and a TD, but was on the move again in 2019 spending most of the year bouncing on and off the Dolphins practice squad. 

So the question is, what are the 49ers looking for at WR, and how does Andy Jones fit? As best I can tell there are really two main components to the 49ers search for a WR. First, the 49ers have been in the market for a WR that could step in and compete for the 3rd WR role. This is why they had interest in Hamilton, and why they signed Lee. Second, the 49ers have been hit by injury (mostly minor) at WR to start their offseason program, with five of their top guys not practicing (Samuel, Aiyuk, Hurd, Benjamin and James), which has created a need for camp bodies. This is the group the likes of Fowler and Jones fall into. Don't expect either player to make the roster this year, and I'd even venture to say they may not even make it to training camp if the WR group is mostly healthy. 

There is of course a third component to this, which is the rumoured interest in Julio Jones. Adding Julio for mine would fall into a similar category as the first group, with the team looking at options for a third WR. Not that Jones would be the third WR, he would push one of Aiyuk or Samuel into that role, but it is a similar principle whereby the team is looking to add reliable depth to the WR group to insulate them from injury and (especially in the case of adding Jones) give the passing game an additional weapon.

In addition to adding WRs, the 49ers tried out former Titans TEs MyCole Pruitt and Delanie Walker. Walker is the bigger name, who after starting his career with the 49ers as the number 2 TE behind Vernon Davis, became one of the top TEs in the NFL during his career with the Titans. However, Walker is soon to turn 37, skipped last season and has struggled with injuries the two seasons before that, and a 49ers reunion did not materialise (at least not yet). 

Instead, the 49ers opted to sign Pruitt. Pruitt was an NFL Combine star in 2015, finishing in the top group in most athletic testing including a 4.58s 40 time and 38" vertical jump. However, after being a fifth round selection of the Vikings, he struggled to work his way into much meaningful playing time between 2015 and 2017 as he bounced around the Vikings, Bears and Texans. In 2018 he was signed by the Titans and developed into a solid blocking TE, and despite limited production as a catcher he earned offensive snap shares of 20%, 44% and 24% the past three seasons (while also being a core STs players). 

The addition of Pruitt is an interesting one. After last season it would have appeared the more natural fit would have been for a receiving TE that can replace Jordan Reed and potentially fill in for Kittle if he goes down with injury. 

Instead, the addition of Pruitt would appear to signify the team is looking for more help in the running game. Pruitt has been one of the better run blocking TEs in the NFL over the past three seasons, helping pave the way for Derrick Henry at the Titans in Arthur Smith's run heavy, zone offense. There are in fact a lot of similarities between Arthur Smith's offense and the 49ers offense, something that was noted during the lead up to Trey Lance's pro days as they incorporated concepts from both the 49ers and Falcons (where Smith is now the head coach). 

The addition of Pruitt will likely put pressure on Charlie Woerner to perform. The 49ers TEs struggled in run blocking in 2020 after Kittle went down injured and following Levine Toilolo's departure after the 2019 season. Pruitt will likely compete with Woerner for that blocking TE role that Toilolo filled in the highly successful 49ers run to the Super Bowl. 

This isn't necessarily an indication the 49ers are losing faith in Woerner. It is more likely an indication that the team has identified a need to emphasise getting the running game back to its 2019 level, which was punctuated by the additions of Alex Mack, Aaron Banks, Jaylon Moore, Trey Sermon, Elijah Mitchell and Wayne Gallman. Before signing Pruitt the 49ers options for that blocking TE role were Woerner and Daniel Helm (who was waived to make room for Pruitt), neither of which have proven themselves at the NFL level. The addition of Pruitt provides a proven blocking specialist that can push Woerner and provide a security blanket if Woerner is unable to win that role.