Predicting 49ers TE George Kittle contract extension

The San Francisco 49ers are going to put a top priority on extending All-Pro tight end George Kittle this offseason, and the numbers could be lucrative. But how much will the numbers be?

After falling short in Super Bowl LIV, the San Francisco 49ers have an awful lot on their plate this offseason, especially if they want to retain the core group which helped them reach the championship game after the 2019 season.

Among the items on general manager John Lynch‘s to-do list is to ink All-Pro tight end George Kittle to a contract extension. The Niners’ 2017 fifth-round NFL Draft pick has gone from a relatively unknown prospect to the best at his position in the league, breaking numerous records and becoming one of the team’s most iconic players in an awfully short amount of time.

So it’s no surprise the 49ers are making an extension for Kittle a top priority.

“This is a priority for the 49ers, and they have done such a good job over the last couple of years getting in front of these, knowing what the market is going to be, hammering these out early,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on Thursday (h/t David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone).

Rapoport also pointed out how Green Bay Packers tight end Jimmy Graham is currently the highest-paid at his position, earning $10 million per year.

Needless to say, Kittle will be due a lot more.

Just how much, however, is another question altogether. Some years ago, Graham was pulling for wide receiver-kind of money back when he was with the New Orleans Saints. It wouldn’t be shocking at all to see Kittle’s camp look for the same for his next contract, given how prolific an offensive weapon he has been over the past two years, and not just in the pass-catching department, either. Kittle’s prowess as a blocker also carries weight. Money, too.

As far as the valuation goes, there’s a decent estimate.

Spotrac’s market-value tool suggests Kittle could command a contract in the range of four years, $45,865,835. And his average annual salary would be $11,466,459. That would be ranging in the area of some top-tier wide receivers, and it would easily surpass the $10 million Graham earned on average for his contract.

To be honest, just shy of $11.5 million for Kittle, annually, would be a steal.

That would put Kittle’s earnings, compared to wide receivers, in the range of players like the Los Angeles Chargers’ Keenan Allen or the Arizona Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald. The highest-paid wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons wideout Julio Jones, is commanding an average annual salary of $22 million.

There’s always the possibility Kittle holds out for more, understanding the kind of all-around production he’s given to the 49ers since joining the league in 2017. Or, perhaps, he understands the Niners want to retain a contender for the foreseeable future, instead electing to give the team which drafted him something of a hometown discount.

Either way, Kittle coming back in whatever the range Spotrac suggests, or even a few million on average more, would be a bargain for Lynch and San Francisco.