Paulsen has the skill set and history with head coach Kyle Shanahan to make a serious bid for a roster spot this season, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee reports.
At 30 years old, Paulsen is the elder statesman of the group of tight ends currently in camp. While that works against him on paper, his size (6-foot-5, 268 pounds), blocking ability and presence as a red-zone threat (six touchdowns on 82 receptions) make the veteran a good fit for Shanahan's offense. Both he and Garrett Celek possess similar skill sets, and they will likely compete for a spot on the depth chart this preseason.