There is good news and bad news for the San Francisco 49ers.
The good news is, franchise quarterback Brock Purdy was in attendance for the start of the team’s voluntary off-season workout program amidst ongoing contract negotiations.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the news.
“49ers QB Brock Purdy, who has been discussing a new deal with San Francisco, is in attendance today for the start of the team’s off-season workout program,” Schefter wrote on X.
“Some thought Purdy might have stayed away without a new deal, but that’s not the route Purdy chose.”
Purdy is believed to be looking for a new deal in the $50million range, with reports of $60m also surfacing.
Wherever the negotiations are at this point, it’s a great sign regardless that Purdy has shown up for the team’s off-season program.
The same can’t be said about his star tight end.
And that’s the bad news.
George Kittle is entering the final year of his five-year, $75m extension that he signed in 2020.
He is looking for a new deal and seems to have chosen to skip showing up to the off-season program.
Once again, Schefter was all over it.
“49ers Pro Bowl TE George Kittle, who has been in discussions about a new deal, is not in at San Francisco’s voluntary off-season workout program that starts today,” Schefter wrote on X.
It is unclear what Kittle is looking for in terms of value, but it’s no secret that he wants a new deal.
The 49ers are coming off a cursed season, just a year removed from making a run to the Super Bowl.
Last year they finished 6-11 and last in the NFC West.
They were snakebitten with bad injury luck, specifically to stars Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey.
Months after signing a four-year, $120m extension, Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL during Week 7 of the season.
Meanwhile, McCaffrey dealt with a calf and Achilles injury all season long, appearing in just four games before a PCL injury sidelined him for the rest of the year.
That was also coming off an offseason in which he signed a two-year extension worth $38m through the 2027 season.
The 49ers have paid up for their stars, and it has started to catch up with them.
They had to trade star Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders, and let other impact big name players walk in free agency because they couldn’t afford them including big-time defenders Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw.
Purdy will be paid, that’s not the question.
The question is, how much is general manager John Lynch and the front office comfortable giving their quarterback?
As for Kittle, time will tell how that all gets worked out.
It’s going to be a long road back to the Super Bowl for the next iteration of this 49ers team.
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