49ers sign return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud

Updated Mar. 22, 2022 6:41 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers signed free agent wide receiver and return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud to a two-year deal on Tuesday.

McCloud has been one of the more productive returners since entering the NFL as a sixth-round pick by Buffalo in 2018. He led the league in yards on punt returns with 367 last season and had the most combined yards on punt and kick returns with 1,143 for Pittsburgh.

The Niners had been seeking to upgrade their return game this offseason after ranking as the least efficient team on kick returns last season, according to Football Outsiders, and finishing below average in punt return efficiency.

In four seasons with Buffalo, Carolina and Pittsburgh, McCloud has 64 catches for 390 yards and eight carries for 84 yards on offense and averages 22.4 yards per kick return and 9.5 yards per punt return.

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