How 49ers prioritize George Kittle, other contract extensions

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Fred Warner #54 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Priority No. 5: On the Radar Players, Mike McGlinchey and Fred Warner

Players still on their rookie contracts aren’t able to sign extensions until year four of their deals, which is why George Kittle’s name has come up so much this offseason.

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2018 rookies, offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey and linebacker Fred Warner, aren’t eligible for extensions just yet as they’re both entering year three of their rookie contracts.

But once they hit the official start of the 2021 offseason, one can bet John Lynch and Co. will be eager to lock both players up for the long run.

Warner is the surefire easy selection out of the two. Already, Warner has solidified himself as one of the NFL’s top up-and-coming linebackers, and his stock value is only going to increase over the next few seasons.

McGlinchey could be slightly easier to replace, especially considering next year’s draft class at the position. Yet it would make more sense for San Francisco to retain its top pick from the 2018 draft rather than let him walk in favor of yet another rookie offensive lineman, particularly if Trent Williams departs.

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So, while the 49ers don’t necessarily have to worry about extensions for either/both Warner and McGlinchey, figuring out what it would take to keep them around for a while longer should at least be on the front office’s mind in the near future.