George Kittle is not at a voluntary San Francisco 49ers practice (i.e. one he is under no obligation to attend). You can take that for what you will.
Where some people have taken it is that the Pro Bowl tight end is taking part in the tradition of holding out of voluntary OTAs while seeking a new contract from the Niners. The strongest indication of that was a report from The Athletic’s Diana Russini, who reported Wednesday that Kittle wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid tight end.
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Kittle responded on X, saying that Russini’s source is incorrect.
Kittle is entering the final year of his contract, which holds a $22 million salary cap number for the Niners. Per OverTheCap, his contract’s $15 million average annual value places him fourth at the tight end position, with Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride leading the pack with his market-setting four-year, $76 million deal ($19 million AAV).
Here’s how Russini described the situation at the negotiating table:
Kittle wants to become the NFL’s highest-paid tight end, per a league source. Trey McBride reset the market earlier this offseason; the 25-year-old inked a four-year, $76 million pact with Arizona. San Francisco’s offers to Kittle have thus far been rebuffed, and the two sides remain apart as Kittle, who will be 32 in October, enters the final year of his deal. I’m told no trade request has been made, but other teams are keeping an eye on it.
The Niners have already made Kittle the NFL’s richest tight end once, as his current five-year, $75 million deal originally topped the position.
The 31-year-old Kittle earned second-team All-Pro honors last year, which saw him post 1,106 receiving yards, his highest total since his breakout sophomore year in 2018. Over the past four years, Kittle has posted 3,801 receiving yards, the second-most among all tight ends behind Travis Kelce (who is a worse blocker than Kittle). His 31 receiving touchdowns are also tied with Mark Andrews for the most among tight ends.
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