On Monday afternoon, the San Francisco 49ers witnessed the departure of another tight end, a free agency, from their NFC Championship team to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are continuing to bolster their pass-catching core in preparation for the next season by investing in Kirk Cousins.
Charlie Woerner was signed by the Atlanta Falcons in March.
Charlie Woerner, a 2020 sixth-round pick by the 49ers, was signed by the Falcons in March. They traded for Rondale Moore and added wide receiver Darnell Mooney via free agency. They once more chose a 49ers tight end on Monday.
Former 49ers tight end Ross Dwelley joins the Falcons
The Falcons announced that they have signed Ross Dwelley following a tryout on Monday:
After joining the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2018, Dwelley moved to Atlanta. During his six seasons, he participated in 84 of 99 regular-season games, starting 17. In 2020, his best year, he caught 19 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown. He recorded 12 yards on a single reception the previous year.
In the Falcons tight end room, Dwelley is reunited with Charlie Woerner, his old 49ers colleague. In March, Woerner agreed to a three-year, $12 million contract with the Falcons.
The 49ers tight end unit must have impressed Raheem Morris, the new head coach, during his losing stint. He was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams from 2021–2023 before taking a job with the Falcons this summer. As such, he had a lot of up-close experiences with Dwelley and Woerner in the prior seasons.