George Kittle’s contract extension was on the 49ers’ mind all offseason and a lot of training camp, until the All-Pro tight end officially put pen to paper.
The 49ers’ biggest rival also thought a lot about it.
The Seattle Seahawks traded a fortune – specifically two first-round picks (2021 and 2022), a 2021 pick and safety Bradley McDougald – to get All-Pro safety Jamal Adams. Seahawks general manager John Schneider acknowledged that Kittle’s presence was a factor in Seattle taking over Adams, and NBC Sports Bay Area analyst Ian Williams believes this is one of the truest testaments to Kittle’s greatness.
“You made Seattle sell their souls the next few years, and their future picks in the first round, to the Jets for Jamal Adams,” Williams said, referring to Kittle in a digital video for NBC Sports Bay Area. “Very good player, but that player was introduced to be versatile, helping the defense do more things they could not last year and yes. Yes, you force teams to do what they do not want to do. “
Kittle set the NFL one-season record for receiving yards by a tight end in 2017 (1,377) and his two seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards are the only ones by a tight end in franchise history. The Seahawks hope Adams can be their long-term answer to Kittle, but they need to sign him first.
Just when Kittle entered this season, Adams was eligible to sign a contract extension. Seattle will have Adams under contract through 2021, as New York has already exercised its five-year option, and the Seahawks are presumably content to wait to sign him. According to Adams, it wants to be the highest paid security in the NFL.
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Time will tell if Adams stays in the Pacific Northwest, and if his presence is enough to neutralize Kittle in future 49ers Seahawks matches.
Kittle undoubtedly forced Seattle’s hand this summer, and that’s enough to give the tight end the upper hand in Williams’ eyes.
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