With the first regular -season game coming closer and closer, the San Francisco 49ers are a highly talked-about team. Predictions are varying on whether or not they return to the playoffs after missing out last year.
The Niners brought back defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and they have traded away a few valuable contributors to last season's offense, including offensive weapons like Deebo Samuel and Jordan Mason. Head coach Kyle Shanahan rarely trusts rookies and second-year players to take reps and fill voids early in the season.
San Francisco went without running back Elijah Mitchell, and receiver Brandon Aiyuk went down mid-season. Yet, for the second year in a row, the 49ers racked up the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL.
One of the biggest connections last year that quarterback Brock Purdy made was with Jauan Jennings. However, even with a career-high of 77 catches, 975 receiving yards, and six touchdowns, the four-year veteran on the 49ers offense wasn't the top receiver for San Francisco last season.
Connection between Brock Purdy and his tight end, George Kittle
In his eighth season, tight end George Kittle caught one more reception that Jennings (78). The 49ers tight end also recorded 131 more passing yards and two more touchdowns than his teammate, too.
This marked the second season in a row for Kittle in which he caught at least 65 catches, cleared at least 1,000 receiving yards, and tallied five or more touchdowns. That hasn't happened since the tight end's second and third seasons in the league (2018 and 2019).
Despite Kittle having three games in his last five in which he recorded 100 receiving yards or more, he did not score for the Niners after Thanksgiving. The last touchdown pass to Kittle was thrown by the backup, Brandon Allen, who is now playing elsewhere.
The last time Purdy connected with Kittle for a touchdown came in Week 10 on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. San Francisco held a 5-4 record after that win, only to finish the rest of the season 1-7.
The second half of last season goes to show how important it is for the 49ers success to have Purdy find Kittle in the end zone.
The two will have an opportunity to produce a win for San Francisco as they travel to north to play the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 on Sept. 7.
Quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, no strangers to the NFC West, are both new to the Seahawks this year. Chemistry between a quarterback and their top target doesn't happen overnight or just during training camp.
What Purdy and Kittle have is special and is in place to be together for many more seasons to come.
That connection should also play a vital role in determining Week 1's outcome.