George Kittle's next contract is expected to be unlike anything we've seen for a player at his position.
The 49ers and the representatives for the All-Pro tight end have been working on a deal for a while. No agreement has been reached yet, but these things take time, especially for a unique player like Kittle.
It's pretty clear that whenever Kittle does sign a new contract, it will set a new standard for the tight end market.
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"I think he's going to destroy the tight end market," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Friday on 95.7 The Game (H/T 49ers Webzone). "I think you throw that out the window. Forget those numbers. I mean, Austin Hooper is the highest-paid tight end in the NFL right now, and that's not the number they're going to work off of because he just doesn't fall into that category."
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Earlier this week, Jeremiah indicated that Kittle's contract extension with the 49ers could carry an annual average value close to $20 million.
On June 1, Kittle agent, Jack Bechta spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco and said that his client deserves a "special contract."
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“Right now, there is not a comp for George,” Bechta said on the 49ers Insider Podcast. “He’s unique. He’s a unicorn. He’s one of a kind.”
[RELATED: Kittle forces lots of missed tackles]
The 49ers have some salary cap gymnastics to do in order to get Kittle signed, but considering what he means to the franchise, expect a deal to get done eventually.
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