49ers Franchise Tagging George Kittle is a Likely Reality
George Kittle and the San Francisco 49ers still find themselves in a stalemate when it comes to his extension.
According to Mike Silver of NFL Network, he spoke with Kittle’s agent who indicated the two sides haven’t gained any traction.
And honestly, I wouldn’t expect there to be.
You can essentially bank on this deal not getting finalized prior to Week 1, which is just over a month away. Like Silver notes, there is just too much to factor in when it comes to the structure of Kittle’s extension. From the guarantees, annual salary, and whether to back load or front load the deal. And with the salary cap expected to take a hit over the next few years, this makes his deal so much more complicated.
Obviously, Kittle is going to become the highest-paid tight end, but even that doesn’t match his true value on the team. Austin Hooper is currently the highest paid with an annual salary of $10.5 million and $23 million guaranteed. So while $13-14 million salary with about $40 million guaranteed would look good for Kittle, that is a team friendly deal. And that is something I would not expect Kittle to settle for.
49ers fans are not going to want to hear this. But as of now, the likely end result is the 49ers will franchise tag Kittle.
First off, Kittle is more than valid for standing firm on wanting to be more than just the "highest-paid tight end". He should not move off of his number, which I would assume is extremely high since the two sides are far apart. I think it is safe to say that most pundits and fans would agree it's more than what his position states.
Yet, the 49ers are essentially trying to give him the runaround by reducing him to a mere tight end.
I'm sure they are not doing it out of any ill will. San Francisco generally operates with transparency with their players, so I'm willing to bet Kittle understands the current situation. The reality is that the 49ers are not trying to allocate so much of their funds into one player. Otherwise, they will be at a point where they cannot field an overall quality team.
It is why they decided to trade DeForest Buckner and retain Arik Armstead. The value of Armstead for sustaining long-term success was the better route for them. So even though Buckner is the better player, they at least are still able to keep more quality players. Hence why they were able to re-sign Jimmie Ward and draft Javon Kinlaw.
Paying Kittle now means the 49ers have to take into account the future deals of other players. That includes Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, and Richard Sherman who is a free agent after 2020. The 49ers do not want to be good for just a few seasons. They want to be dominant for years to come and put a strangle hold on the league. That is why they are essentially giving Kittle the runaround by boxing him as just a tight end.
While he does take the offense to new heights, he really doesn't have any leverage.
Both sides can be in the right in this. Kittle should not move off his number. If he feels he is worth $17 million per season with $50 million in guarantees, then he should stick to it. These players are not inclined to make it easy on the team.
Although, should Kittle meet the 49ers in the middle, he should be heavily praised for his sacrifice. And while I wouldn't rule out the chance he does this, I just do not envision a scenario where he settles. Sure, the 49ers are his best chance to win right now, but Kittle is valid for thinking of himself so highly should he remain steadfast on his number.
The only issue with that is he likely will not get what he wants because there is no reason for the 49ers to oblige to his demands, which is why the likely reality is that the 49ers place the franchise tag on him. Both sides are right, yet one has all the cards in their hands.
So unless both sides meet in the middle, which once again I do not envision, then this is going to linger over the 2020 season into the offseason.
