The San Francisco 49ers have placed tight end Vance McDonald on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury suffered on Sunday against the New York Jets. The team claimed Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Josh Allen off waivers to fill the roster spot.
That really is just about perfect. McDonald signed a five-year extension late last week, getting as much as $35 million. The deal reportedly included $16 million in guarantees, although we do not know what is fully guaranteed and what is rolling guarantees. But either way, he signed his deal, and within a couple days, he was hurt and out for the year.
Injuries have been an issue with McDonald for much of his NFL career. He has never played a full season in four years in the NFL. He played 5 in 2013, eight in 2014, 14 in 2015, and 11 this year. And even when he has not been missing games, he has gotten banged up here and there. So, it is really not exactly a shocking development to hear this news.
The addition of Josh Allen is also slightly foreboding given Daniel Kilgore’s injury. Chip Kelly described it as a knee injury. Allen signed with the Buccaneers in 2014 as a UDFA out of the University of Louisiana-Monroe. He was released that summer and has bounced between practice squads. He played center in college, so this would seem to be insurance for Kilgore’s injury.