49ers John Lynch ‘hopeful’ surrounding George Kittle contract talks
One of the most pressing matters for the 49ers this offseason is ensuring star tight end George Kittle remains with the team for the long term as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. But, to this point, there’s been little traction between the All-Pro and the team when it comes to a lucrative multi-year agreement.
However, general manager John Lynch on Tuesday offered optimism on that front, noting the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting financial uncertainty facing the NFL slowed negotiations.
Lynch also said the team anticipates Kittle will report to the facility this week for his coronavirus testing so he can be with his teammates as they begin full-team work slated to start in early August. Veterans are scheduled to take their first tests Tuesday and again on Friday before being allowed to enter the facility for their physicals.
“We’ve been in very good communication with his representatives, his coaches have been talking with George. He’s planning on coming,” Lynch said Tuesday on KNBR’s Murph & Mac show. “We’ve exchanged ideas. I think as this pandemic has hit, it’s caused a lot of economic uncertainty.”
Some of that economic uncertainty was solved over the weekend when the league and NFL Players Association agreed on the new financial parameters regarding the salary cap as revenues are expected to take a hit with few to no fans in the stands come September.
Under normal circumstances, the 2021 salary cap was expected to be $215 to $220 million, Lynch said, which would have projected the 49ers some $44 to $49 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.
But with the revenue shortfall, the two sides negotiated a salary cap floor of $175 million which would leave San Francisco with roughly $4 million in projected cap space, forcing the team to get creative with its long-term financial planning. And Kittle isn’t the only key starter unsigned beyond the coming season. New left tackle Trent Williams and star cornerback Richard Sherman are also scheduled for free agency next spring, among a host of others.
That’s the bad news. The good news for the 49ers: the team has a rough idea of what the financial future will look like and can get going on a deal to make Kittle the highest paid tight end in league history. It’s likely the contract would need to be backloaded by having Kittle’s larger cap numbers in future seasons rather than front loading a contract as the team has done with many players in recent seasons.
“We’ve traded ideas and things,” Lynch said on discussions with Kittle’s agent, Jack Bechta. “And we’re really hopeful. We’re going to work extremely hard.”
There’s a belief Kittle’s side is wanting to get paid like one of the league’s premier pass catchers and offensive linemen giving his value to San Francisco’s running game. The highest-paid receivers and tackles in the league make $18 to $22 million per season, but tight ends typically bring in significantly less.
The Browns this offseason gave former Falcons tight end Austin Hooper a four-year, $44 million contract with $23 million in guarantees making him the highest paid tight end in league history.
Kittle — who led all pass catchers in yards per route run in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus — is seemingly worth significantly more. But how much more remains a key sticking point, as is the structure of the deal given the complicated salary cap future for the 49ers and the league’s other 31 teams.
“Sitting here looking at the vision statement for what we want in a player and George checks every box,” Lynch said. “He’s tremendous and he’s what we want to be, so I think it’d be silly not figure that out, so we’re going to do our best to figure that out. As for a timetable, I don’t have that, but George is a pro and he’s planning on coming (to the facility), and we’re going to continue to work to get that done.”
This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 1:34 PM.