The San Francisco 49ers added veteran tight end Jack Stoll to their practice squad Tuesday, looking for extra help at a position thinned by injury after their season-opening win.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo first reported the signing.
“The 49ers are signing veteran TE Jack Stoll to their practice squad,” he wrote. “The former Eagles undrafted free agent played 15 games for the Saints last season.”
Stoll stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 245 pounds. He spent last season in New Orleans, appearing in 15 games with four starts. He caught six passes for 46 yards and scored his first career regular-season touchdown.
The move comes after backup Jake Tonges left the Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams with a knee injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said afterward, “It wasn’t good. It’s not an ACL, it’s the MCL, I believe, but there’s some issues with it that we’ve got to see how it is.”
All-Pro tight end George Kittle also remains on a limited snap count as he works back from an Achilles tear suffered in January. The 49ers already promoted Brayden Willis to the active roster to help fill the gap behind Luke Farrell.
Stoll began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 after four seasons at Nebraska. He spent three full years in Philadelphia and parts of 2024 with both the Eagles and Miami Dolphins.
He later had stops with the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns. The Browns released him during final roster cuts in August after he signed there in the offseason.
Stoll was with the Eagles for the first part of 2024 before finishing the year in Miami. That meant he missed Philadelphia’s Super Bowl run that season.
The San Francisco Standard’s David Lombardi noted the fit.
“Newest 49ers TE Jack Stoll is 6-4, 245 and has system familiarity with SF thanks to previous time with Mike McDaniel,” he wrote. “The 49ers will need to clear a practice squad spot to make room. Could happen with another promotion as Tonges/Stribling are both IR candidates.”
McDaniel, now the Dolphins’ head coach, previously served as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator. Stoll’s time in Miami therefore gives him some background in the Shanahan-style scheme San Francisco still runs.
Over five NFL seasons Stoll has played 76 games with 32 starts. He has 28 career receptions for 239 yards and that one touchdown. Blocking has always been his main contribution rather than receiving production.
At Nebraska he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.60 seconds at his pro day, a solid time for a player his size. He went undrafted in 2021 but still made an impression on evaluators.
The 49ers now hope that experience can help them if Tonges misses extended time.
San Francisco hosts the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. Adding a player already familiar with McDaniel’s offense could prove useful if the 49ers need another body in the tight end room on short notice.
Stoll gives the club a known commodity who has started games and contributed on special teams throughout his career. How quickly the team clears a practice-squad spot will determine when he can begin practicing with the group.
