Falcons sign former 49ers TE Charlie Woerner to three-year deal

Atlanta has a new tight end with a concentration on blocking.

The Atlanta Falcons locked up Kirk Cousins earlier today—well, it’ll be official on Wednesday, anyways—and are now getting started on filling out the rest of the roster. First up, a new tight end.

The team is signing former 49ers tight end Charlie Woerner to a three year deal, per ESPN’s Mike Rothstein. WSB-TV reporter Zach Klein mentioned the team’s interest earlier today.

Woerner is here to block, bluntly. The Falcons may see some untapped pass catching upside in the Georgia product, but he has 11 receptions in four NFL seasons and isn’t going to be more than the seventh or eighth option in this passing attack. What Woerner does do well is pave the way for running backs and hold his own in pass protection, two roles the Falcons will prize because they have dynamic young running back talents in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier and an aging, not super mobile quarterback in Kirk Cousins who needs time in the pocket to thrive. Woerner will be the team’s second tight end and will see the field a lot, judging by this deal, with an eye on helping the Falcons do great things on the ground and keep their passing attack humming.

Woerner essentially replaces Jonnu Smith as the team’s second tight end, but his role will be more akin to MyCole Pruitt, who was an occasionally useful red zone threat with his size and hands but primarily was on the field to pave the way for Robinson and Allgeier. Fellow former Georgia product John FitzPatrick figures to have an inside track to the third tight end role if he’s healthy, as he’s the only other tight end under contract the moment.

If Woerner can do that blocking work at a high level, he’ll be a fine signing for an offense that’s really starting to take shape. Atlanta now just needs to figure out their barren receiver depth chart and add a few more depth pieces and they should be good to go heading into 2024.