49ers Trade of George Kittle Offered Revealed in Shocker
Two key players on the San Francisco 49ers offense were eligible for contract extensions at the start of the offseason. If unattended, both Brock Purdy and George Kittle would hit free agency a year from now.
This week, the Niners locked down one of those pieces. San Francisco signed Kittle to a four-year $75 million extension to keep him in the Bay Area.
Advertisement
However, there were suitors lining up to gauge the team's interest. According to Diana Russini of The Athletic, the Niners were offered a second-round pick for Kittle.
A tempting offer in some ways certainly. But as she explains on the "Scoop City" podcast, Kittle and the Niners are a fit meant to stay together.
"I don't think the 49ers ever wanted to walk away from George Kittle either," Russini said. "I don't think George Kittle wanted to walk away from the 49ers. I think they always wanted to be together, everyone just wanted to feel like they were winning in the negotiation."
Well, the negotiations are over and both sides come away winners. Kittle stays with his favored team while getting his pay day. On the other hand, the Niners hold onto an irreplaceable part of their offense.
Advertisement
There was never much doubt here and now there's none at all. However, the Niners have Purdy's extension still outstanding as the calendar turns to May.
San Francisco has a tendency to work slowly on these deals. But as the offseason progresses, the hope is that conversations start to pick up.
Kittle and especially Purdy are major tenets of the franchise's future. To make that a certainty, the Niners need to get both under contract for the long term.
Related: 49ers Winning NFC West Odds Will Shock Fans
Related: 49ers George Kittle and Wife Celebrate $76.4 Million Contract Move
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trade Idea Moves Patriots' Kendrick Bourne to 49ers
Trade Idea Moves Patriots' Kendrick Bourne to 49ers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Things appeared to be going upward for New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne after the 2021 season. Advertisement Bourne had just finished his first season with the Patriots after signing a three-year, $15 million contract with the team during the previous offseason. He recorded career highs in receptions (55) and receiving yards (800), and he appeared to be on the fast track to increased playing time. Since then, a lack of production and a severe injury – a torn ACL midway through the 2023 campaign – have derailed his trajectory, as he has yet to surpass 450 receiving yards in a single season since. This also makes a fresh start with a new team appealing, and Pro Football Network's Brandon Austin believes that such a move could be in the cards for Bourne. According to Austin, the San Francisco 49ers are the franchise that could benefit the most from having another wideout added to their rotation. The move would also serve as a reunion for Bourne, as he played for the 49ers from 2017 to 2020. New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm J. Rebilas-Imagn Images "San Francisco moved on from Pro Bowl wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. this offseason, sending him to the Commanders. Meanwhile, Brandon Aiyuk suffered a significant knee injury last season, and his recovery timeline could force the 49ers to hit the trade market for a veteran receiver," Austin wrote. "With Samuel gone and Aiyuk coming off an injury, the 49ers will be relying on Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall to step up in 2025. Bourne is a veteran who Kyle Shanahan knows and could be an insurance policy at receiver." Advertisement Uncertainty surrounding Bourne's role with the Patriots this fall makes the deal even more of a possibility. "With Bourne turning 30 in August and the Patriots already bringing in Diggs and Mack Hollins as veteran presences, his role in New England looks shaky," Austin wrote. "Given his limited role and the lack of clarity around his fit within New England's rebuild, it wouldn't be shocking to see him moved." Since signing with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington University, Bourne has played in 111 NFL games and accumulated 292 receptions, 3,714 receiving yards, and 22 receiving touchdowns. Related: Patriots Ranked Third Most Likely to Go 'Worst-to-First' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Patriots Announce Hire of New Director of Coaching Analytics, Ekene Olekanma
Patriots Announce Hire of New Director of Coaching Analytics, Ekene Olekanma originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Analytics have become a massive part of the NFL over the past few years, and the New England Patriots are bringing in added help in that department. This morning, New England announced the creation of a new position on the coaching staff. Advertisement The Patriots hired Ekene Olekanma to be their new director of coaching and analytics. Olekanma has spent four years in the NFL with the Ravens and 49ers. In 2021, the Ravens hired him as a coaching research and development analyst. A year later, he went to the 49ers to become a football research and development analyst and worked his way up in San Francisco. Olekanma became the research and development coordinator for two years with the 49ers before earning this directing role with the Patriots. The Patriots' new hire has a deep, comprehensive background in science and football, which should bring a new perspective to New England. New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to the media during a press conference at Gillette Canha-Imagn Images The analyst earned his Bachelor of Engineering, Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering at Toledo, where he played four years of football. Olekanma then went to graduate school at DePaul University, where he earned his Master's degree in Data Science. Advertisement The Patriots kept it old-school and simple under legendary coach Bill Belichick, but after his departure and a disastrous 2024 season, the new-look Patriots are dabbling in analytics a little more. Mike Vrabel is shifting the culture in New England, building relationships between players, and changing the way the team approaches analytics as well. This is the second hire/promotion by the Patriots in as many days, as the team promoted Tony Kinkela to director of college scouting on Wednesday. The addition of Olekanma, the new director of coaching analytics, will work closely with Vrabel and his staff on the analytics team. Related: Patriots Starting OL Explains Reasons for Limited Participation at OTAs This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
49ers center earns amazing compliment from his position coach
49ers center earns amazing compliment from his position coach The San Francisco 49ers had a rough season in 2024, finishing with in fourth place in the NFC West with a 6-11 record. Their .353 winning percentage was their worst since 2018 when they went 4-12 (.250), which somehow still wasn't bad enough to land in last in the division. While not much went right for the 49ers last year, they did get some great player up front, especially from center Jake Brendel. The former UCLA Bruin, who originally joined the team back in 2020 but opted out to COVID-19, entered his third season as the starting center and had a great year. Pro Football Focus gave him a 65.0 overall grade, ranking him 23rd out of 64 qualified centers. He also earned a 71.6 run-blocking grade (13th) and a 55.1 pass-blocking grade (51st). However, when it comes to the grades from 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster, Brendel was the best of the best. 'Fewest amount of missed assignments," Foerster said. "His pass protection was the highest grade, his run blocking grade, pass blocking grade, and his mental errors were the best they've been since he's been here. They've been better than any center that we've had playing here up to this point.' Since Kyle Shanahan took over as the team's head coach, the 49ers have had Brendel, Weston Richburg and Alex Mack as their primary starting centers, and in Foerster's mind, this past season was the best yet. According to SIS Data Hub, Brendel had just six blown blocks, which was the fewest of any 49ers offensive lineman in 2024. Foerster took some issue with the center's PFF grade, saying that they're grading without context. "It's interesting how he's rated outside of the 32 centers by whatever the grading system is. But I'm not knocking it, because my point is that everybody looks at something different," Foerster told 49ers writer Jake Hutchinson. "So you can knock what I look at and say, 'Oh, you don't know what you're talking about.' That's fine. I know what we asked him to do on every given play and what his role is, what his job is, so I can grade it." As the 49ers prepare for 2025, Brendel is set to enter his four season as the team's starting center, and if he plays the way he did down the stretch, that should be a strong base for the offense to build on to make it back to the postseason again. More 49ers: 49ers wide receivers coach says rookie has 'it' factor they're looking for
