Just another day in 49ers’ Twitter, right?
Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated wrote that the San Francisco 49ers announced the expansion of George Kittle on Friday. Cohn had these details about Kittle’s contract:
According to the source, it will be a six-year expansion worth $ 94.8 million – or $ 15.8 million per season. Of that money, the 49ers guaranteed 50 percent of it, or $ 47.4 million. Kittle will also receive a $ 25 million signing bonus, and the 49ers will structure its deal in such a way that it will only cost them $ 10 million of their 2021 salary cap.
Meaning Kittle would technically earn less money annually than Arik Armstead and Dee Ford, who earn $ 17 million and $ 17.1 million per season, respectively. But Kittle would get more guaranteed money than any player on the 49ers except Jimmy Garoppolo, who received a $ 48.7 million full guarantee from the 49ers in 2017.
Kittle, his wife and his wife’s mother all had something to say in response to Grant’s info:
Mike Silver of NFL Network said both sides are making progress:
In reference to the @grantcohn report: I’m told the 49ers and George Kittle are ‘making progress’ on a lucrative contract extension … which means the emoji may be outdated. He is by far the highest paid TE in league history.
– Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) August 12, 2020
Matt Maiocco doubled Wednesday afternoon with sources of his own saying that both sides are making “healthier progress” toward a deal.
Cohn could still be right, and I would not rule that out. A deal has not yet been made, but based on reports from Silver and Maiocco, it appears that a deal could have been made sooner rather than later.
