49ers’ Lynch: Kittle extension coming

George Kittle almost certainly will sign a contract extension that will make him the NFL’s highestpaid tight end before he plays his next game for the 49ers.

When will that happen? How much will he get paid?

Stay tuned. On Thursday morning, general manager John Lynch publicly addressed Kittle’s contract status for the first time this offseason and indicated the 49ers and Kittle’s agent, Jack Bechta, made an unsuccessful attempt to reach a deal earlier this year. Lynch made it clear the 49ers have every intention of signing Kittle to a longterm contract.

“George isn’t going anywhere,” Lynch said on 95.7 The Game. “We’re going to work hard to try to get it done. I think they’ve got motivation just to really reset the tightend mar

ket, as do we, for him. It’s just finding that sweet spot, where that is.”

Kittle, 26, is in the final year of a fouryear, $2.7 million rookie contract that will pay him a $2.13 million base salary this season. The 2017 fifthround pick ranks 22nd among NFL tight ends in terms of 2020 base salary.

Kittle, an elite blocker, is a twotime Pro Bowl selection who was a firstteam AllPro last year when he earned a $645,000 base salary. He set the NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end (1,377) in 2018 and owns the league record for the most receiving yards by a tight end in his first three seasons (2,945).

Kittle had had backtoback 1,000yard receiving seasons. Before 2018, the 49ers didn’t have a tight end post a 1,000yard season in the franchise’s first 72 seasons.

The NFL’s highestpaid tight end, in terms of average annual salary, is the Chargers’ Hunter Henry, who will earn $10.6 million this season. Rob Gronkowski’s contract with Tampa Bay has the highest total value ($54 million) and Cleveland’s Austin Hooper has the most guaranteed money ($23 million).

“Like I said, he’s not going to go anywhere,” Lynch said. “... George is going to be a part of the 49ers for a long, long time.”