San Francisco 49ers veteran George Kittle is impressed by Luke Farrell’s offseason progress at tight end.
With injuries piling up, the 49ers need all hands on deck offensively for Week 1 against the Seahawks.
Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) looks on in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images / Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
The 49ers front office signed Farrell following his multi-year stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2021 to 2024.
The three-year contract positions him as a potential No. 2 option who can provide key support in blocking schemes.
Kittle highlighted that Farrell is adjusting well to his new life in San Francisco.
“Getting Luke Farrell on the team this year has been really fun for me. Me and Luke have pretty different personalities, and you guys see that the more you see Luke, which is kind of hard to do because he isn’t as outgoing as I am, which is pretty hard to believe,” Kittle shared on the San Francisco 49ers YouTube documentary.
“This preseason with Luke, I’ve seen him in OTAs. It’s really hard to judge somebody in the run game, and that’s one of the reasons why we signed him. He’s a big dude who is really good in the run game. It’s hard to see that in the spring because there’s no shoulder pads on or actually playing football, you are kind of just learning the offense.
“To see the strides that he’s made since OTAs, from the start of training camp, to where he’s at right now has been really fun to see. The way he’s running off the ball, understanding our offense, and why we’re running off the ball and the angles, and the techniques and standards that we have as tight ends, he’s doing all the things we’ve asked him to do and he’s enjoying it too.
“As long as you’re listening, you can learn a thing or two from them, which I have learnt from Luke.”
Farrell still feels like an overpay
NFL Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Luke Farrell / Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
Although the encouraging words from Kittle, Farrell still cost the franchise a lot of money.
He secured an $11 million contract, including a $4.27 million signing bonus. This is a notable investment for a player who failed to record a touchdown throughout his four-year tenure in Florida.
Working alongside Kittle and learning Kyle Shanahan’s playbook could help him excel, but the fifth-rounder still feels like an overpayment.
Look at Kittle, though; he was recruited in the fifth round and will easily walk into the 49ers Hall of Fame when he hangs up his helmet.
