The San Francisco 49ers had to part ways with several key contributors this offseason. Due to the financial constraints they face going forward, the 49ers had to let Aaron Banks, Jaylon Moore, Charvarius Ward, Dre Greenlaw, and Talanoa Hufanga walk in free agency and trade Deebo Samuel to the Commanders.
One of the main reasons for this exodus was the looming contract extensions for George Kittle and Brock Purdy. On Tuesday morning, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that San Francisco finally signed an extension with Kittle, making him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL with a four-year, $76.4 million deal.
49ers News: San Francisco Signs TE George Kittle to an Extension
A four-year contract for a 31-year-old tight end is certainly rich. Yet, it shows how desperate the 49ers were in wanting to hold onto their best offensive weapon.
Last week, it was reported that Kittle and the organization were far apart in negotiations after the All-Pro pass-catcher failed to show up at the start of voluntary activities with the team. Kittle finally joined the 49ers for their offseason conditioning on Friday, which was seen as a sign of things moving in the right direction.
This extension will likely help Kittle retire as a 49er, something he publicly revealed his desire for. He has to maintain his level as arguably the best TE in the league for the foreseeable future for the 49ers to have a shot at contention and for Kittle to be worth his new deal.
Now, all eyes are on Brock Purdy in San Francisco. The Kittle extension will not mean much if San Francisco can't keep their star quarterback under center going forward. The 25-year-old will likely warrant a $50 million per year salary, but the duration of the contract remains less certain at this point. What happens in those negotiations will determine how optimistic Niners fans can be about their team's prospects for 2025 and beyond.