As the 49ers continue to navigate extension talks with Brock Purdy, it sounds like two veterans will have to wait their turns for negotiations.
Michael Silver of The Athletic acknowledged that the 49ers and tight end George Kittle have engaged in contract talks, although the two sides “remain far apart.” Meanwhile, the organization hasn’t had “any substantive talks” with Fred Warner about an extension.
Kittle is set to enter his age-32 campaign and the final season of his five-year, $75M deal. After years of injury issues, Kittle has seemed to put those behind him during his active contract. Over the past four years, the tight end has missed a total of eight regular season games, and he’s been active for all nine of the 49ers postseason contests.
Kittle has also continued to produce. The tight end has earned four-straight Pro Bowl nods and three-straight All-Pro recognitions, and he topped 1,000 receiving yards in both 2023 and 2024. With Deebo Samuel no longer in San Francisco and Brandon Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL, the 49ers seem primed to be even more reliant on their tight end in 2025.
Kittle’s $14M average annual value still ranks fourth at the position, but the organization is presumably looking to reduce that AAV as the veteran heads into the final stretch of his career. Kittle, meanwhile, is presumably pointing to his recent track record as reason for him remaining atop the TE market. For what it’s worth, GM John Lynch said earlier this year that he wants Kittle to finish his career in San Francisco.
Warner inked a then-record-breaking extension with the 49ers back in 2021, and through the first three years of that pact, the linebacker hasn’t missed a game for the 49ers. Warner has earned an All-Pro nod in each of those three campaigns, compiling 393 tackles, 5.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles and seven interceptions over that span.
Among outside linebackers, Warner’s contract has since been surpassed by Roquan Smith, although the 49ers leader still ranks second at the position in AAV. With two years left on his contract, the 49ers likely feel less urgency to complete a new deal, and they’ll likely want some clarity on Purdy’s next pact before committing more years and money to their defensive star.
Silver’s report came in the context of the 49ers voluntary offseason program, which begins Tuesday. The reporter expects Warner to be in attendance, although he describes Kittle’s status as “much more of a long shot.”
