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          49ers sign TE Vance McDonald to five-year contract extension

          • Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff WriterDec 9, 2016, 10:40 PM ET
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              Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL at ESPN since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In his 10 years with the company, Nick has led ESPN's coverage of the Niners' 2019 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick's protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam's subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team's relocation and stadium saga. You can follow Nick via Twitter @nwagoner
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          SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers have signed tight end Vance McDonald to a five-year contract extension.

          ESPN NFL Insiders Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan first reported news of the deal, which is worth $35 million with $16 million guaranteed. The team confirmed the agreement Friday night.

          "Vance has shown consistent growth throughout his four-year career and his production this season is the result of his dedication and hard work,” general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. “We believe he has only scratched the surface of what he will be able to accomplish in his career. Vance is a tremendous ambassador for the 49ers, and his passion for helping others provides a wonderful example for this organization. We look forward to his continued contributions to this organization, both on and off the field.”

          McDonald was scheduled to become a free agent after the season but the Niners prevented that from happening, rewarding McDonald for setting career highs in receiving yards (391) and touchdowns (four). While those numbers are certainly modest, they still represent a major improvement over his previous production. His 16.3 yards per catch average is second only to New England's Rob Gronkowski among tight ends. Through his first three seasons, McDonald had a combined 40 receptions for 475 yards and three touchdowns.

          That McDonald is enjoying his best season this year is no coincidence considering his fit in coach Chip Kelly's offense. Tight ends Zach Ertz and Brent Celek had big seasons in Kelly's system in Philadelphia.

          McDonald recently said Kelly's offense has been beneficial in his improvement this season.

          "I wouldn’t say I would be the only one," McDonald said. "But yeah, it provides the tight end an opportunity to be a big playmaker. I am very welcome to that idea and I’ve embraced that role this year and it’s been a lot of fun."

          While McDonald's 2016 production won't earn him Pro Bowl consideration, the Niners are clearly betting that his improvement will continue well into the future.