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Everyone is trying to figure out what it will take for the San Francisco 49ers to lock up All-Pro tight end
George Kittle to a long-term deal. Yes, he will become the NFL's highest-paid tight end. Yes, he will reset the tight end market, probably by a significant margin. What will that entail, though?
Right now, the league's two top-paid tight ends, when it comes to average annual salaries, are Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, each of whom earn in the $10.5-million range. Don't expect Kittle's salary to be anywhere near that. In fact, some are starting to wonder if Kittle's annual earnings could come close to doubling that amount.
The 49ers reportedly tried to lock up Kittle in the weeks following the Super Bowl. A
recent report from Michael Silver of NFL Network stated that discussions between the two sides have not progressed in the last couple of months, and they remain far apart in the negotiations.
Kittle isn't your typical tight end, though. While he's one of the more dangerous receiving threats in the league, he is also a phenomenal blocker. With Kittle in the lineup, the 49ers averaged five yards per rushing attempt last season. Without him, that number dipped to 3.5 yards per attempt.
"I think of George Kittle as part offensive tackle, part wide receiver because of his dominance in the run game," NFL Network's Bucky Brooks recently told his podcast co-host and fellow analyst, Daniel Jeremiah.
Jeremiah went on to look at the market values for the positions Brooks mentioned in an attempt to determine what Kittle might earn.
"If you look at those markets, for the offensive line, it's 16 to 18 million (dollars) at the top end," Jeremiah explains. "For wide receivers, it's 18 to 22 million at the top end. So I think he's going to find his way closer to 20 than he's going to be closer to 15 when this is all said and done with his deal because there's hybrids, guys who can do a lot of things, and that's the word we've used here for George Kittle, but then there's another level. I just call him a unicorn.
"There's nobody else like George Kittle in the NFL. He's one-of-one, who can do everything he does at the level of which he does it. That, to me, makes him, in my opinion, the most valuable Forty Niner on that team.
"He's 26 years old. He's got high character. He's a leader. These are the guys that you are OK with maybe paying a little bit more than you'd want to. I think he's going to be paid quite handsomely here, Bucky."
Jeremiah's choice of word — "unicorn" — in describing Kittle is the same one the tight end's agent, Jack Bechta, recently used.
"Right now, there is not comp for George,"
Bechta told NBC Sports Bay Area. "He's unique. He's a unicorn. He's one of a kind. And that's a problem for both sides."
He clarified: "Not a problem. It's a challenge."
Of course, it is difficult to negotiate a contract right now when the future landscape of the NFL remains unclear. There was hope that the salary cap would jump significantly next year, but that is now unknown given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and what that might do for revenue during the upcoming season.
H/t to
Patrick Tulini for the find.
Today, NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah spoke to the media during a nearly two-hour conference call, fielding questions about the 2024 NFL Draft. One question surrounded the possibility of the San Francisco 49ers trading up in the first round to increase their chances of landing an impact player.
Depending on the 49ers' priorities, Jeremiah only believes a significant move is necessary if the team tries to target a couple of defensive positions.
"I mean, they've got a nice haul of picks here, so if they want to move up, they absolutely have the ammunition to do so," Jeremiah stated. "I just think when you look at the needs that they have and some of the different areas that they could go, if you're thinking about corners and edge rushers, maybe you miss
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah unveiled his fourth and final mock draft, projecting the San Francisco 49ers to select Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the No. 31 overall pick.
While many anticipated the 49ers bolstering their offensive line in the first round, Jeremiah's choice may raise eyebrows. However, with seven offensive tackles already off the board, he opted to provide third-year quarterback Brock Purdy with another explosive target.
"This is my favorite fit in the first round," Jeremiah explained. "We saw what Tank Dell did in a similar offensive system with Houston, and we know what Mike McDaniel has been able to build with so much
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, ESPN contributors have highlighted some prospects who have seen their draft stock rise throughout the evaluation process. Jordan Reid and Matt Miller pinpointed players who could hear their names called at the end of the first round.
Interestingly, both of the prospects identified by Reid and Miller play in the trenches but on different sides of the ball. The San Francisco 49ers are widely expected to draft an offensive lineman with their first selection—No. 31 overall. The team mostly ignored the group in free agency. However, it wouldn't surprise many people if the
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
