The 49ers haven’t worked out a long-term extension for George Kittle yet, but that doesn’t mean his future with the club is in jeopardy. General manager John Lynch on Thursday joined Joe, Lo and Dibs on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and explained that Kittle isn’t going to play for another team anytime soon.
“George isn’t going anywhere,” Lynch said. “We’re going to work hard to try to get it done. I think they’ve got motivation just to really reset the tight end market, as do we, for him. It’s just finding that sweet spot, where that is.”
Kittle is eligible for an extension after finishing his third NFL season. 2020 is the final year on his rookie deal. He’s set to earn just over $2 million.
Resetting the tight end market makes sense for a player who set an NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end in his second season, and has more receiving yards through three years than any other tight end in history. Cleveland this offseason made Austin Hooper the highest paid tight end in the league with a four-year contract worth. $44 million with $23 million guaranteed.
Given Kittle’s prowess as a pass catcher, and value as a blocker, he’s likely going to earn money that sets him among the league’s top wide receivers from a salary standpoint. His elite, multifaceted skill set makes him more valuable than a typical top-end tight end.
Moving DeForest Buckner in a trade at the start of the offseason freed up salary cap space long-term. That was to help with flexibility, but also gave the 49ers the room to fit a large extension for Kittle. That appears to be coming sooner rather than later.
“He’s not going to go anywhere,” Lynch said. “When that happens? I don’t know. But we’re working hard, as are they, to try to make that happen. George is going to be a part of the 49ers for a long, long time.”