REPORT: 49ers and George Kittle have made "Minimal Progress" toward Contract Extension
Every time the 49ers express the least bit of optimism regarding a contract extension for George Kittle, Kittle’s agent calls the NFL Network to contradict the team.
A week ago, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan said they were hopeful and optimistic that the 49ers and Kittle would agree to a contract extension soon. Now, Kittle’s agent, Jack Bechta, has reached out to the NFL Network’s Michael Silver to set the record straight.
Here’s what Silver said about his communication with Bechta:
“There’s a week until (Kittle) puts himself in a more perilous position potentially when real practices start, so I think this is a big week. I talked to Kittle’s agent, Jack Bechta, yesterday, who said progress has been minimal, and later reinforced that by texting me an inch-worm emoji to underscore that fact.
“And it’s not just money. There is structure, and how much money a player like George Kittle could get up front, how much would actually be guaranteed. And at the heart of all this has been somewhat of a philosophical divide between the 49ers, who say, ‘Listen, we want to pay you more than any tight end ever, because you’re the greatest tight end,’ and Kittle’s camp, which is saying, ‘Don’t view me as a tight end. I was just voted the seventh-best player in football at any position.’”
Here’s how I interpret Silver’s report:
1. Even though Bectha says progress has been minimal, it still sounds like the 49ers and Kittle could be close to agreeing on numbers, but need to work out the structure of the extension. Meaning will the 49ers front load it or back load it, and how much money will they guarantee?
2. It seems like Kittle and his agent want to finalize an extension before practices start this Saturday, Aug. 15. Seems like Bechta is using the media to pressure the 49ers back to the negotiating table this week. Interesting strategy. It worked for Raheem Mostert and John Lynch.
3. It seems like Shanahan is the roadblock in the negotiations. Silver said the 49ers insist on viewing Kittle as a tight end, not an offensive weapon who’s the seventh-best player in the league. Well, check out what Shanahan said just last week when asked about Kittle: “I think we don’t have to say how important George is to us not only as being the best tight end in the league, but also the type of person he is.”
Translation: Kittle is a mere tight end, according to Shanahan. Meaning Kittle isn’t worth wide-receiver money or offensive-tackle money to the 49ers. And if that’s indeed what Shanahan believes, he’s not the type to change his mind.
So if Kittle wants his extension before practices start, he probably needs to take the 49ers offer, or else play for $2.13 million in 2020.
And I don’t think he will take the 49ers’ offer. I think he’s more concerned about getting what he deserves than helping the 49ers’ long-term salary cap space.
Recently, I made a bet with my dad, former San Francisco Chronicle and Santa Rosa Press Democrat sports columnist Lowell Cohn, that Kittle won’t sign an extension before the season starts. If I’m right, my dad has to give me a $40 bottle of California Pinot Noir.
I can taste the Pinot already. It’s earthy.
