San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch held a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis where he addressed a number of topics including quarterback Brock Purdy’s contract extension talks and wide receiver Deebo Samuel’s trade request.
He also touched on another topic: a possible contract extension for star tight end George Kittle.
Lynch’s full remarks at the presser can be viewed here.
According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN, Lynch said the Niners have had some preliminary talks with Kittle’s camp, and San Francisco’s goal is to have Kittle retire with the 49ers. However, Lynch did also note that the Niners have plenty of other priorities on their offseason checklist, so extending Kittle may not be their most pressing concern.
It makes complete sense the 49ers would be interested in extending Kittle and ensuring he retires with San Francisco. In what was an otherwise bleak and disappointing 2024 season for most of the team, Kittle was one of the only bright spots. He hauled in 78 receptions over 15 games for 1,106 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.
The Iowa product has certainly eclipsed Travis Kelce as the best tight end in the NFL, and if Kittle continues on his current pace, there may be a spot waiting for him in Canton as well as on the Mount Rushmore of all-time 49ers greats.
Add to his excellent play the fact Kittle is one of the goofiest and most fun-loving players in the entire NFL, and it is clear that the Niners would be wise to keep the fan-favorite around for as long as possible.
It is going to be a bit difficult for the Niners to do so given everything else they must do. The Purdy extension definitely seems like priority No. 1 because they are probably going to have to hand out a sizable contract to keep the quarterback in the Bay Area for a while. Bringing back key defenders like linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga may also be a key priority for the front office.
However, if those things are able to get taken care of fairly quickly, then perhaps Lynch and the front-office brass can shift their attention to making sure one of the most popular players on the team is rewarded for his great play.
