Take this for what it’s worth.
A well-placed source who has been correct in the past just texted me this: The 49ers will announce this contract of George Kittle this contract extension.
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.
This seems like a fair deal for both the 49ers and Kittle. The 49ers did not have to pay Kittle $ 17 million a season, which is money for wide receivers. They get a discount because he is a tight end. But Kittle gets a lot of guaranteed money and security because he deserved it. He’s one of the best players in the league, he’s a team captain and the face of the franchise.
During three seasons in the NFL, Kittle has averaged 216 passes, 2,977 yards and 12 touchdowns. His peers recently voted him the seventh best player in the league, according to the NFL Network. And now, if my source is correct, it appears that Kittle will be on the 49ers through 2026.
