George Kittle returns to practice ahead of 49ers-Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is working his way back from the groin strain he suffered on September 5, forcing him to miss this past weekend's regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears. On Friday, Kittle was back on the practice field for the first time since the injury occurred. That's good news for the tight end, who hopes to play on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

General manager John Lynch was anxious to see if Kittle would be able to practice during the team's Friday session, saying the tight end's presence (or absence) would be a significant indication of whether or not he might play against Seattle.

"We'll see if we get him out here today," Lynch said this morning on KNBR. "I think that's critical. And if that doesn't happen, it's probably not looking good."

Kittle's absence wouldn't have necessarily eliminated the possibility of him being on the field this weekend. Lynch noted that Kittle is the type of player you hold out hope for, even all the way up to game time.

"I did that many times in my career," Lynch said, "where you don't practice all week, you find a way to go test it before the game. So I think it's going to go right down to the wire."

Kittle has struggled to stay on the field in recent years. In addition to his Week 1 absence, the tight end missed 11 games in the previous two seasons. The 49ers don't want to push him back into action too early.

"He is improving, though, and we just want to make sure we have a healthy Kittle for the entirety of the season moving forward," Lynch added.

Kittle taking part in Friday's practice bodes well for second-year quarterback Trey Lance, who may get one of the team's most impactful weapons back in time to face a division rival and prevent an 0-2 start to the season.