49ers' Vance McDonald: Emerging from pack as top option

General manager John Lynch said that he is "very pleased" with McDonald's performance in a crowded tight end competition during training camp, Cam Inman of The Mercury News reports.

Lynch's positive statement comes just a week after head coach Kyle Shanahan showered the veteran tight end with praise. While the club explored trading McDonald and his lengthy contract this offseason, the positive reviews we are hearing out of camp signal that he is the favorite to regain the 49ers' starting tight end job leading up to Week 1. The 27-year-old would likely serve as a fringe TE1 in deeper formats if he were to win the job.