Silver: There’s a disconnect between Kittle and the 49ers

NFL Network’s Mike Silver reported that the San Francisco 49ers and tight end George Kittle are not close to a deal at this time:

Silver hints at Kittle wanting to be paid like a wide receiver and not a record-setting tight end.

Is Kittle’s camp doing everything they can to drive up his value by saying he’ll opt-out? I don’t think it’ll get there. Kittle is one of the best players in the game and wants to be paid as such. August 7 is an important date as players must decide by then if they are going to opt-out of playing in the 2020 season. If Kittle chooses to opt-out, he’d earn $150,000, but would have to pay it back next season. Anyone who knows Kittle would say that’s a long shot of happening. Silver said he believes a deal will get done.

Supposedly, the two sides have been going in the wrong direction for a few days, and it was only a matter of time before the national media got a hold this. I’m not sure how much stock I put into this info, but I asked earlier in the week if there are any updates on Kittle, and apparently, his deal is “disrespectful” all of a sudden. Kittle plans to show up to training camp, but not actually practice. Again, this hasn’t been cross-checked, but the information is in line with what Silver says above. I understand negotiations are fluid, but everything was fine and dandy a week ago, and now the two sides are far apart? What changed?

Kittle’s peers believe he’s the seventh-best player in all of football. You won’t get many arguments from anyone saying Kittle isn’t a great player. He wants to be paid like one. Why wouldn’t he? On August 12, the team will start to “practice.” So the seventh and the 12th of August are days to keep an eye on for Kittle’s contract. I hope this doesn’t bleed into the season. The last thing San Francisco needs is this hanging over their head as the team tries to win a Super Bowl.