Source: 49ers sign veteran tight end Gray to camp roster

Share

SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers signed free-agent tight end MarQueis Gray on Saturday, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area.

The club waived first-year offensive lineman Kofi Amichia to make room for Gray on the roster.

Gray, who played quarterback and wide receiver in college at the University of Minnesota, originally signed with the 49ers as an undrafted rookie in 2013.

After he was among the 49ers’ final cuts before the start of the regular season that year, the Cleveland Browns claimed him off waivers. Over the next six years, Gray saw action in 61 regular-season NFL games with four different clubs. He has not played in the NFL since appearing in 16 games with the Miami Dolphins in 2017.

Gray has 27 career receptions for 328 yards and no career touchdowns.

The 49ers signed Gray at a time when George Kittle and Ross Dwelley are sidelined with a tight hamstring and a foot injury, respectively.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday that Kittle’s condition is not considered serious.

“He’s good with all the testing, so there’s nothing pulled or strained, just tightness,” Shanahan said. “The way George moves and the way he goes, he only knows one way, so when he’s tight, we're going to protect him from himself and wait until he’s not tight.”

RELATED: Jordan Reed shows Kyle Shanahan both good, bad in 49ers practice

Veterans Jordan Reed and Erik Swoope, and rookies Charlie Woerner and Chase Harrell were the tight ends who practiced Friday inside Levi’s Stadium.

The 49ers on Saturday also signed offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley, a league source confirmed.

Shepley played last season in the Canadian Football League. He was named as the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Rookie. He opted out of his contract this month to pursue the NFL.

Shepley (6-foot-4, 310 pounds) originally signed last year with the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie from the University of British Columbia. He played in three preseason games before getting released.

According to his CFL bio, Shepley was an extra in the 2018 movie “Deadpool 2,” playing the role of the villain Omega Red.

Contact Us