Arguably the best all-around tight end in the game, San Francisco’s George Kittle, is looking for a new contract. So far it hasn’t reached contentious status, but fans and bettors alike are wondering if there could be an affect during the 2020 season.
Kittle is entering his fourth season out of Iowa. He’s averaged 86.5 receptions and 1,215 receiving yards the last two years. He’s also a well-above-average blocker. If Kittle was a wide receiver, he would be looking at $20 Million a year, but the tight end market is pretty depressed right now, and that’s where the trouble comes in.
49ers’ general manager John Lynch obviously knows the importance of keeping Kittle around long-term. He was recently quoted as follows on a local radio station (source ESPN).
“George isn’t going anywhere. We’re going to work hard to try to get it done,” Lynch told KGMZ-FM 95.7 The Game. “I think they’ve got motivation just to reset the tight end market, as do we for him. It’s just finding that sweet spot, where that is. … When that happens, I don’t know. But we’re working hard, as are they, to try to make that happen. George is going to be a part of the 49ers for a long, long time.”
49ers the third-favorite to win the Super Bowl
The 49ers are +829 odds to win the Super Bowl at the Winning Poker Network sportsbooks. That ranks third behind Kansas City and Baltimore (both +520) and just ahead of New Orleans (+1106) and Tampa Bay (+1206).
Kittle is not a free agent until the end of this year and he seems like a team-first guy. I don’t expect this contract situation to have any affect as San Fran looks for a repeat run to the Super Bowl.
I like San Francisco at these +829 odds.
