Should the San Francisco 49ers desire not to give tight end George Kittle the record-setting contract he is seeking, they may look for an alternative and trade the blonde tight end for a first-round draft choice so they can draft a player who will remind people of Kittle.
Rumors are the 49ers are looking to trade Kittle and move up in the first round to select Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Warren is expected to be gone by the 10th selection. San Francisco would have to trade into the top 10 to have a shot.
There are very few assets the 49ers have left to trade to move up in the draft to get Warren. It would be nice to have Warren groomed by Kittle, but the chances of keeping both of them do not seem to be significant.
George Kittle And Tyler Warren, At Levis Stadium
By Tony Fisher
Under one scenario, a mock draft expert has the 49ers trading up with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the fifth selection. The 49ers would then presumably take Warren with that pick. Jacksonville has the cap space to sign Kittle to the long-term extension he is looking for.
The Jaguars let Evan Engram go this offseason and need a front line tight end for quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Kittle would fit the mold perfectly for Liam Coen's new offense.
The question in the Bay Area is whether they can extend quarterback Brock Purdy and Kittle. The chances remain slim as the 49ers are having difficulty in managing their cap. It would not be a surprise to see Kittle moved and Warren brought in via the Jaguars pick.
We will have to wait until April 24 to find out how the first-round of the draft shakes out.
