Tight end Jake O'Connell has stood on the fringes of the active roster year after year since he was first drafted in the final round of the 2009 NFL Draft. While many hoped O'Connell would become a late-round find, he's been pushed down the depth chart by the addition of all-around starter Tony Moeaki and veterans like Leonard Pope. Even Anthony Becht was signed off the street (out of the broadcast booth, actually) and earned playing time above O'Connell.
That said, it's interesting that Scott Pioli still continues to see something in O'Connell enough to keep him around. Yet Pioli did just that today with the announcement that O'Connell signed a one year contract to keep him as a Chief next season.
Brian McIntyre writes, "A 2009 seventh-round pick out of Miami (Ohio), the 6-foot-3, 250-pound O'Connell has caught 12 passes for 90 yards and recorded one special teams tackle in 27 games over the last three seasons. Despite being released and re-signed early in 2011, O'Connell set career-highs with four games started, seven receptions and 52 receiving yards."