San Francisco 49ers

After striking a deal with tight end George Kittle, the San Francisco 49ers could be nearing an agreement with quarterback Brock Purdy on a long-term contract.

On the latest episode of the Scoop City podcast (starts at 8:45 mark), The Athletic's Dianna Russini said Purdy and the 49ers are "closer" to a deal than is being reported elsewhere.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said on Thursday's episode of The Rich Eisen Show that the two sides were "not close" and no deal was imminent (starts at 19:55 mark).

There was some thought that Purdy showing up to Phase 1 of organized team activities last week might be an indication that an agreement could be coming soon.

General manager John Lynch didn't tip his hand one way or another about what Purdy's presence might suggest.

"That's Brock," Lynch told reporters on April 22. "He's a pro. Brock's very clear-minded and not going to let other people influence what he should be doing. And that's one thing everybody I think respects about Brock. He's done a lot for this organization and we're grateful for him and looking forward to having him as our quarterback for a long time."

Russini previously reported that Purdy and the 49ers were "inching closer" to a deal that would make him one of the 10 highest-paid players in the NFL.

All of the 49ers' key decision-makers have said in no uncertain terms that they want to keep Purdy as their quarterback for many years to come.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters at the end of last season that he plans "on being with Brock here the whole time I'm here." Owner Jed York said in February he's "looking forward to a long-term partnership" with the 25-year-old.

Purdy, who is entering the final season of his rookie contract, has far exceeded any expectations after the Niners selected him with the final pick in the 2022 draft. The Iowa State alum has thrown for 9,518 yards, 64 touchdowns and a 67.5 completion percentage in 40 games over the past three seasons.

Before George Kittle signed a new deal with the San Francisco 49ers, at least one team tried to trade for the All-Pro tight end.

On the latest episode of the Scoop City podcast, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported the Niners were offered a second-round draft pick from an unnamed team for the 31-year-old that was turned down.

Before the 49ers and George Kittle agreed to a lucrative extension, I'm told a team offered a second-round pick for the six-time Pro Bowler.

San Francisco turned it down.

More, on Scoop City: pic.twitter.com/xt74zew2Tf

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) May 2, 2025

Kittle signed a four-year, $76.4 million extension with the 49ers on Tuesday that made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL.

There were rumblings about a potential issue between the player and the 49ers last week when he didn't report to OTAs, though Kittle dismissed a report from Russini that his absence was related to his contract.

Your source is incorrect

— George Kittle (@gkittle46) April 23, 2025

Given how soon after the draft Kittle got his extension done, it would at least suggest any potential negotiation holdups were being overblown.

It is interesting to think about which team might have made the trade offer for the six-time Pro Bowler. The Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts selected tight ends in the first round. The New York Jets used their second-round pick on Mason Taylor.

The Bears, in particular, would have made for an interesting landing spot just because of what Kittle could bring to an offense with Ben Johnson calling plays and surrounded by a skill-position group that includes DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.

However, on the heels of losing 17 players in free agency, the 49ers really couldn't withstand trading their best offensive player from last season on top of it.

Kittle has been a team captain in each of the last seven seasons and is still arguably the best all-around tight end in the NFL. He finished 2024 with 78 receptions for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games.

After getting a deal done with All-Pro tight end George Kittle, the San Francisco 49ers can turn their attention toward finalizing a long-term extension with Brock Purdy.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that Kittle and the 49ers agreed to terms on a four-year, $76.4 million extension that will make him the league's highest-paid tight end.

The 49ers entered the day with $39.4 million in cap space, not accounting for any potential changes to Kittle's cap number with his new contract.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the 49ers and Purdy have been "inching closer" to a deal that would make him one of the 10 highest-paid players in the NFL by average annual value.

That would set the floor at Jalen Hurts' five-year, $255 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles ($51 million annually). The more-likely projection would have Purdy's deal coming in somewhere between the group of four quarterbacks making $55 million (Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence) and Tua Tagovailoa's $53.1 million annual salary.

If you split the difference between those deals right around $54 million per season, that would project out to a total of $270 million on a five-year extension for Purdy.

There has been an expectation that Purdy and the Niners are getting close to a new deal after he showed up for the first day of offseason activities on April 22.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is the highest-paid quarterback at $60 million per season, but it would seem highly unlikely Purdy could get to that level even if he wanted to.

When Prescott signed his deal with the Cowboys last September, he had all the leverage because his previous contract signed in March 2021 included a no-tag clause that would have granted him true free agency after the 2024 campaign if he decided to test the market.

Purdy does not have the same level of control in his talks with the 49ers. They could theoretically use the tag on him in back-to-back years and pay him roughly $100 million over a three-year period from 2025 to '27.

There are certainly financial drawbacks for the team with the franchise tag. All of the money is guaranteed for that season, which can put a huge strain on the salary cap.

A long-term extension allows the team to spread out all of the guaranteed money over a period of several years, easing the cap burden on them and providing more financial flexibility.

Purdy shouldn't necessarily accept a lowball offer simply because his rookie contract has paid him a total of $2.6 million in three years. His statistical performance has him on par with some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Last season, in what was considered a down year for him, Purdy's 67.9 QBR ranked seventh among all qualified quarterbacks. He was ahead of Patrick Mahomes (67.6), Kyler Murray (66.5), Hurts (65.6) and Justin Herbert (64.8).

While few would argue that Purdy is a more talented player than any of those quarterbacks, he's been an ideal fit in Kyle Shanahan's offense since taking over as the starter late in the 2022 season.

The 49ers have been bracing for Purdy's contract for more than a year. Owner Jed York has said one of the reasons they lost so many players in free agency this offseason was to prepare for paying their quarterback big money.

It wouldn't be a surprise if by the time organized team activities begin on May 27 that Purdy and the 49ers have a deal in place.

San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle was set to enter the final year of his contract this season, but the team will be keeping him around for quite a while longer.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that Kittle and the 49ers agreed to terms on a four-year, $76.4 million contract extension that will keep him with the franchise through the 2029 season. He was previously set to earn $15 million while counting for $22.1 million against the salary cap during the 2025 campaign.

The extension also makes the 31-year-old the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, surpassing the four-year, $76 million extension Trey McBride received from the Arizona Cardinals earlier this month.

For the #49ers and George Kittle, contracts talks heated up during the Friday of the NFL Draft, the day he showed up to OTAs. That was the indication a deal was close.

Now, done. https://t.co/95rcekLEB1

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2025

A new deal for George Kittle. https://t.co/CETVWRjWFw

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 29, 2025

After the 2024 season came to an end, Kittle made it clear that he hoped to remain in San Francisco until he retires, telling ESPN's Nick Wagoner: "My goal is to wear the red and gold my entire career."

When minimal progress was made in negotiations for his new deal, Kittle skipped the start of the team's voluntary workouts. He showed up after a few days, and The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that the 49ers were expected to retain him despite receiving trade inquiries from other teams.

The 49ers disappointingly finished last in the NFC West with a 6-11 record, but Kittle was one of the team's few bright spots. He put forth a strong season with 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns across 15 games on his way to earning his sixth career Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors.

Wagoner noted that Kittle ranked third among tight ends in receiving yards, tied for second in touchdowns and was first in yards per reception (14.2). He also became just the fifth tight end to have four or more 1,000-yard seasons, joining Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten.

Kittle has become one of the faces of the franchise for the 49ers, so fans will be excited that the team has locked him up for the next four years following Tuesday's extension.

San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha is not expected to be available at the start of the 2025 season due to a torn ACL, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Mustapha suffered the injury after he was cleated in the knee during the second quarter of the 49ers' 47-24 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18 of the 2024 season.

His latest injury is related to an ACL tear that he experienced in the same knee while playing at Wake Forest in Jan. 2022, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner.

Mustapha was initially expected to be alright the day after the game, but an MRI revealed that a graft that had been placed in the knee from his previous ACL tear was torn and required surgery (via Wagoner).

The 49ers selected Mustapha with a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. He opened his rookie season as a special teams contributor, gradually establishing himself as a starter on defense once Talanoa Hufanga suffered a wrist injury.

Mustapha ended his inaugural season with 72 tackles, five passes defensed and one interception in 16 games.

Malik Mustapha intercepts the overthrow!#SFvsSEA on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rdGA4XQXgM

— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2024

Per Wagoner, there isn't a definitive timeline on the 22-year-old's recovery but a midseason return in 2025 is considered "more likely."

His expected absence is a tough blow to a 49ers team that is looking to bounce back from a 6-11 finish in 2024 after making a Super Bowl appearance during their 2023 campaign.

San Francisco has several players that can step up for Mustapha until he's able to return including Ji'Ayir Brown, George Odum, Richie Grant and Jason Pinnock.

The 49ers also selected Kansas State safety Marques Sigle with a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Saturday, and he could be thrust into early action as a rookie.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle pushed back against a rumor about his current contract demands.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Wednesday that Kittle "wants to become the NFL’s highest-paid tight end." She added that he and the Niners "remain apart" in negotiations.

Kittle replied to Russini on social media and said, "Your source is incorrect."

Your source is incorrect

— George Kittle (@gkittle46) April 23, 2025

Trey McBride reset the tight end market on four-year, $76 million extension with the Arizona Cardinals. He's averaging nearly $2 million more annually than the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce, the next closest player at the position.

As soon as news of McBride's deal broke, one quick assumption was that the price for San Francisco to retain Kittle just went up.

From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: The #AZCardinals made Trey McBride the NFL’s highest-paid TE, which is great for him and great for George Kittle… pic.twitter.com/osyNH7qdrN

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 4, 2025

The six-time Pro Bowler will turn 32 in October, and he has battled minor injuries throughout his NFL career. His current deal with the Niners has a five-year term, and signing him for that long again isn't advisable.

Kittle has a compelling case to exceed or, at the very least, match McBride's salary, though. He has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons and continues to be one of the most consistent at the position.

That's why it's a little surprising Kittle publicly refuted Russini's reporting when she said what a lot of people were probably expecting anyway.

Perhaps his issue was with how the NFL insider described his ongoing negotiations with the 49ers or what she cited as the reason behind his absence at voluntary workouts.

San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle skipped the first day of voluntary workouts on Tuesday amid his ongoing contract dispute, but he reportedly hasn't taken a more drastic step by demanding a trade.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on Wednesday, "I’m told no trade request has been made, but other teams are keeping an eye" on the situation between Kittle and the 49ers.

Kittle is entering the final year of the five-year, $75 million contract extension that he signed with San Francisco in 2020 and has a $22 million cap hit in 2025. Both sides have expressed a desire to keep him in San Francisco for the foreseeable future.

"My goal is to wear the red and gold my entire career," Kittle told ESPN's Nick Wagoner after the 49ers' 2024 season came to an end.

General manager John Lynch said earlier this offseason that Kittle retiring as a 49er is "something we all want to see become a reality," but he acknowledged that the timing is tricky due to the team's commitment to other players.

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy is expected to receive a contract extension this offseason. He was present for the start of voluntary workouts on Tuesday, and Lynch indicated that negotiations are going well, saying, "I think there's been some substantive talks that have this thing going in a good direction and I'll leave it at that."

However, the same can't be said for Kittle. Russini noted that a league source said the 31-year-old "wants to become the NFL’s highest-paid tight end," which would mean surpassing the four-year, $76 million deal that Trey McBride received from the Arizona Cardinals earlier this month. It was also noted that San Francisco's offers to Kittle "have thus far been rebuffed, and the two sides remain apart."

Kittle is an essential part of the 49ers' passing attack and one of Purdy's favorite targets, so they may need to reward him to return to title contention next year.

Brock Purdy's presence at the start of the San Francisco 49ers' offseason workout program seemed to signal good things about where contract talks stood between the two sides.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Purdy and the 49ers are "inching closer" to working out a long-term deal that will make him one of the 10 highest-paid players in the NFL by average annual salary.

The 49ers once again find themselves with big contract decisions to make this offseason. Purdy, George Kittle and Fred Warner are all seeking new deals.

From that trio, Kittle's situation is the most pressing. He is entering the final year of his current contract and was not present for the start of the offseason workout program on Tuesday.

Warner is signed through 2026 and doesn't seem like he's setting up for a holdout, despite reportedly not having any "substantive" contract talks with the club.

Purdy, like Kittle, is also entering the final season of his contract. There was talk that he could skip the offseason workout program, but The Athletic's Michael Silver noted on Tuesday him showing up could be an indication that contract talks are "really, really close."

Three star 49ers — Brock Purdy, Fred Warner and George Kittle — are all seeking new deals.

Where do negotiations stand with the three? And what could the ripple effect be as 49ers OTAs begin?@MikeSilver has the intel: pic.twitter.com/AL7P0m0sVL

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 22, 2025

The financial terms of a potential Purdy extension are worth keeping an eye on. There was at one point some thought he could come close to matching Dak Prescott's deal with the Dallas Cowboys at $60 million per season.

While that talk has died down, a top-10 average salary would still be a huge win for Purdy. Jalen Hurts currently ranks 10th in AAV at $51 million on his deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Prescott is currently the only player making more than $55 million per season. Jordan Love, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence and Josh Allen are all tied for second in average salary at exactly $55 million.

Purdy's 2025 salary ($5.3 million) is more than double what he made in the previous three seasons combined ($2.48 million). He has far outplayed his rookie deal as the final pick of the 2022 draft.

Despite a disappointing 2024 for the 49ers largely due to injuries, Purdy still played well through it all. He threw for 3,864 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 games.

The San Francisco 49ers selected Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke with the No. 227 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Kurtis Rourke personifies a traditional, throwback pocket-passer.

Rourke boasts a traditional build for a pocket passer. With his height and pocket navigation, he finds throwing lanes well. He is a successful timing and rhythm passer from the pocket. Rourke anticipates throwing lanes, and his receiver's break like a savvy veteran. In clean pockets, he works through his progressions to find the open receiver. Rourke's top trait is accurately layering passes over and past second-level defenders.

Rourke flashes toughness to stand tall with a free-running defender bearing down and delivering accurate passes to his targets. He possesses above-average arm talent to make NFL throws on a routine basis. Timing is pivotal to Rourke's passing success from the pocket, where he can get the ball out in optimal time to defeat coverage. There are instances of functional mobility to get out of the pocket and use his legs.

Unfortunately, this is not to be heavily relied upon. Rourke is not an off-script quarterback to make high-level plays when forced off his spot. Constant pressure throughout a game disrupts his timing and comfort level in the pocket. Rourke's mechanics go awry, and decision-making deteriorates when defenses are constantly in the backfield. He tends to pre-determine reads and targets based on pre-snap looks. This results in being tricked and baited into bad decisions, assuming the coverage picture isn't changing post-snap. Rourke's arm talent is sufficient, but lacks the power needed to make certain throws at the next level. His deep throws lose steam the further he attempts to push down the field. He flashes hesitancy on drive-throws with tighter windows.

Overall, Kurtis Rourke is a pure pocket passer who thrives on timing and accuracy inside clean pockets. He offers a serviceable floor. He does not the developmental upside to bank on. He projects as a high-quality backup QB with starter upside in the right situation.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 220

HAND: 9 ⅜"

ARM: 30 ½"

WINGSPAN: 75 ⅛"

POSITIVES

— Throwback pocket passer with traditional height to see over NFL OL.

— Throws with NFL-caliber anticipation from clean pockets; ready to throw before WR breaks.

— Football IQ, reads coverages well and handles full-field progressions; works through them.

— Timing and rhythm passer with an average arm to target the short and intermediate areas of the field.

NEGATIVES

— Older prospect with a limited developmental ceiling.

— Doesn't create for himself when protection begins to breakdown.

— Making throws on the move, off-platform, and off-script are concerns.

— Struggles to maintain passing efficiency when the defense moves him off his spot.

NOTES

— Born Oct. 25, 2000

— 2-Star recruit in 2019 class, per 247Sports

— 2024 Second-team All-Big Ten Conference

— 2023: All-MAC Second Team

— 2022: MAC Offensive Player of the Year; All-MAC First Team

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 239

POSITION RANK: QB12

PRO COMPARISON: Aidan O'Connell

Written by B/R NFL Scout Dame Parson

There is some uncertainty surrounding the San Francisco 49ers with Deebo Samuel no longer on the team, Brock Purdy's contract making headlines and George Kittle skipping the start of the voluntary offseason workout program, but they received some welcome news Tuesday.

Star running back Christian McCaffrey revealed he has no restrictions as he works his way back from injury concerns that hampered his 2024 campaign.

"I'm feeling great," McCaffrey said, per David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone. "It's been such a smooth process, a lot of hard work. As soon as that injury happened in Buffalo, I was kind of—this was my goal, to not miss a day of OTAs, be back, ready to go, with nothing hindering me, and that's where I'm at."

He also said "I don't remember the exact date, but I got to a point pretty early in the offseason when I was training full-speed, ready to go" when asked when his knee started to feel normal.

McCaffrey played just four games last season and didn't even make his debut until Week 10 because of Achilles tendinitis. He then suffered a PCL knee injury in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills that ended his season.

It was a far cry from 2023 when he was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year with 1,459 rushing yards, 564 receiving yards and 21 total touchdowns. He helped carry San Francisco to the Super Bowl that season and will likely need to produce at such a level again if the NFC West team is going to bounce back from its 6-11 effort in 2024.

Staying healthy is usually where it starts for McCaffrey, as he played just three games in 2020 and seven games in 2021 as well. When he is on the field, he has consistently been one of the best playmakers in the league.

He is eyeing another productive campaign in 2025 and is off to a welcome start healthwise at the start of OTAs.