San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on KNBR this morning that tight end George Kittle will report to training camp despite the player and his agent seeking a contract extension. Kittle, along with other veterans, will report to the Santa Clara facility for COVID-19 testing today.
Kittle will eventually become the league's highest-paid tight end. While saying he expects his talented offensive star to be among the veterans reporting, Lynch didn't want to put a timeline on any impending deal, saying that the 49ers and Kittle's agent, Jack Bechta, remain in good communication.
49ers coaches have remained in contact with Kittle all offseason.
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"George is such a great fit for what we do," Lynch said on the Murph and Mac show. "He's a tremendous player. I'm sitting here looking at the vision statement for what we want in a player, and George checks every box. He's tremendous. He's what we want to be. I think it would be silly not to figure that out, so we're going to do our best to do just that.
"As for a timetable, I don't have that, but George is a pro, and he's planning on coming. And we're going to continue to work. That's our job, to get that done. I'd be disappointed if we didn't. We're working towards that, and no updates, as of right now."
Lynch noted that the coronavirus pandemic, uncertain future salary-cap numbers, along with Kittle's role on the team, have created a tricky situation in negotiations. Kittle isn't just a tight end for the 49ers. He is the team's best receiver and one of its best run blockers. And few to no fans in NFL stadiums this season could force the salary cap to fall significantly next year.
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"I can tell you, we're working in earnest because it's very important to us," Lynch added, "and the good news is it's very important to them that we agree because he loves being a Forty-Niner."
Kittle is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He has posted back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 yards receiving, earning two Pro Bowl selections and first-team All-Pro honors along the way.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.
