George Kittle Reportedly Hasn't Made Trade Request Amid Contract Talks, Teams Eying TE

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.