The San Francisco 49ers needed more tight end depth after a season-ending injury to tight end George Kittle, so the 49ers took care of that on Wednesday.
San Francisco signed tight end Hayden Rucci to the practice squad along with safety Darrick Forrest. The Niners conversely, released wide receiver Javon Backer from the practice squad but signed wide receiver Colton Dowell with a reserve/future contract.
Kittle went down with an Achilles injury against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round on Sunday. The 49ers moved up tight end Brayden Willis from the practice squad, which made room for Rucci.
A Lititz, PA, native, Rucci signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin in 2024. Rucci, 24, isn’t the first from his family to play in the NFL, as his father, Todd Rucci, did as an offensive lineman for the New England Patriots. The elder Rucci made the Patriots’ All-1990s team.
The younger Rucci had a successful collegiate career at Wisconsin, where he caught 17 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown in 36 career games between 2019 and 2023. Rucci played in four games with the Dolphins. He played 39 offensive snaps and 42 special teams plays in that span.
Dolphins TE Coach High on Hayden Rucci
Dolphins tight ends coach Jon Embree wasn’t happy to see Rucci go when the Detroit Lions claimed him off the waiver wire during the 2025 season. Embree had worked with Rucci for two seasons in South Beach.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Embree told reporters in December. “Words that my mother would not be happy with. It took me about five minutes. And then I talked to him on the phone. I’m happy. It’s a great opportunity for him, obviously. And then I told him I reached out to Ross Dwelley. Ross is a guy I had that was in a similar situation.”
“He’s in Detroit to kind of take him under the wing … and help him make the adjustments,” Embree continued. “So I’m happy for him, and I get it. It’s part of the business of this game, unfortunately. And you get this late in the year and teams are making pushes and doing different things. And so you just never know who needs what or might. You know, make that claim and all that, and you got to go with the odds, and it got us this time.”
The Lions waived Rucci on Dec. 10, and the Dolphins reclaimed him on Dec. 12.
A Look at the 49ers’ Other Additions
In adding Forrest, the 49ers acquired more safety depth.
Forrest played for the Washington Commanders primarily after the team took him with a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He bounced around the league during the 2025 season amid stints with the Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Forrest has 126 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, and nine pass deflections in 40 career games.
Signing Dowell to a reserve/future deal gives the 49ers additional depth at wide receiver going into next season. A seventh-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in 2023, Dowell has a catch for three yards in 10 game appearances with the Titans.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post 49ers Sign Tight End Amid George Kittle Injury appeared first on Heavy Sports.
