The San Francisco 49ers seem comfortable with All-Pro tight end George Kittle's recovery from last January's brutal Achilles tear during Wild Card weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles.
And there's even optimism Kittle could be back in time for the 2026 regular season.
Still, the severity of Kittle's setback could at least cut into regular-season games a little bit, and there's always the risk of a reaggravation or related injury. So, having a likeable contingency plan in place was always going to be a good idea.
Fortunately, the Niners already identified one last season when Kittle missed time early with a hamstring injury, tight end Jake Tonges.
Tonges filled in admirably for Kittle over two starts in 2025, totaling 34 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns, putting himself on the map heading into the offseason as a restricted free agent.
But, instead of going with an RFA tender, San Francisco executed a longer-term deal with more control, inking him to a two-year contract worth up to $8 million, as reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero just minutes before the official start of the league new year:
The 49ers and TE Jake Tonges agreed to a new deal just before the RFA tender deadline on a 2-year contract for $8 million with $5.5M guaranteed, sources tell The Insiders.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2026
Deal negotiated by @SteveCaric
Read more: 49ers free agency tracker 2026: Signings, departures, latest news and more
Granted, Tonges is nothing close to the all-around tight end Kittle is. The former's blocking isn't exemplary, and Tonges' yards-after-the-catch efforts leave a lot to be desired.
But, for an emergency fallback option, the 49ers could have certainly done much, much worse.
Entering the season, it'd appear as if the Niners' tight end room is largely set with a still-injured Kittle atop the depth chart, followed by Tonges and Luke Farrell, the latter primarily serving as a blocker. And while it wouldn't be a shock to see San Francisco exploring long-term replacement options for Kittle when the draft rolls around this April, at least it doesn't have to feel forced into such a plan.