The San Francisco 49ers are coming off their worst season in recent memory, finishing last in the NFC West for the first time since 2020. And if the 2024 campaign was rough, this offseason hasn’t been much kinder.
A large portion of the 49ers’ fanbase was gutted when stars Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw left their long-time Bay Area homes for Washington and Denver, respectively. Now, growing concerns suggest another beloved cornerstone, star tight end George Kittle, could be the next to leave.
Kittle is currently skipping the 49ers’ voluntary offseason workouts, and reports indicate that contract negotiations between the two-time All-Pro and the organization are further apart than initially believed. Could San Francisco be on the verge of losing another franchise icon?
George Kittle Skips 49ers Voluntary Workouts
Kittle enters a contract year in 2025. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end which is a pivotal moment for one of the league’s premier tight ends.
In recent years, we’ve seen a trend among star players in similar situations to skip voluntary spring workouts when long-term security isn’t on the table. Skipping voluntary workouts becomes a strategic decision to preserve health and leverage while sending a message to the front office. Le’Veon Bell’s decision to sit out an entire season amid contract disputes remains the most aggressive example.
Could Kittle — arguably the best tight end in football — be following a similar playbook?
3) Warner and the 49ers have yet to have any substantive talks about a possible extension, but the veteran team leader is likely to report. Kittle, heading into the final year of a five-year, $75-million deal, is much more of a longshot, as he and the 49ers remain far apart in…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver)
According to The Athletic’s Michael Silver, talks between Kittle and the 49ers are currently “far apart” and a deal in the near term is considered a long shot. Combine that with Kittle’s absence from team activities, and it’s easy to see why fans are getting nervous.
Kittle will turn 32 in October and is entering the final year of the five-year, $95 million deal that he inked in 2021. His age and the likelihood of a sizable new contract could be contributing to the current stalemate. The team may be hesitant to commit big money to a player at a physically demanding position as he approaches his mid-30s.
Could Kittle Join the List of Recent Departures?
With the 2025 NFL Draft looming — literally days away — the clock is ticking for the 49ers to resolve key roster questions before training camp. The team is tight against the salary cap, and the window to finalize extensions is closing quickly. Letting players like Brock Purdy, Fred Warner, and Kittle head into camp without new deals could set the stage for organizational turmoil.
While time will ultimately reveal what the 49ers can prioritize and which players they may have to part ways with, losing any of those three would be a gut punch for both fans and the front office. With Samuel and Greenlaw already gone, another major departure could further damage San Francisco’s hopes of remaining a Super Bowl contender.
Fans would love nothing more than to see Kittle retire in scarlet and gold. For now, he remains home while his teammates begin preparations for the 2025 season. It’s a seemingly small detail that’s starting to carry bigger implications about his long-term future with the franchise.
