Report: George Kittle's New 49ers Contract to 'Blow the Lid Off' TE Market

Regardless of how Super Bowl LIV shakes out between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, Niners tight end George Kittle has earned a lucrative extension. 

"The Niners are going to make this a priority, try to get an extension done with Kittle quickly," Garafolo reported on NFL Network's NFL GameDay Morning. "The top of the tight end market [is] about 10 million per year. He's going to blow the lid off of that. I would think you're looking at 13 million as the floor on this one."

Kittle was drafted by San Francisco in the fifth round (146th overall) of the 2017 NFL draft. The 26-year-old's four-year, $2.7 million rookie contract is set to expire following the 2020 season, per Spotrac.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce tops the 2020 tight end market in terms of total cash at $9.25 million, according to Spotrac, and the Green Bay Packers' Jimmy Graham leads the way in average value at $10 million.

Kelce became the first tight end in NFL history to post four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and led all tight ends with 1,229 yards this season. Kittle ranked third in receiving yards (1,053) and tied for seventh in receiving touchdowns (five) this season.

However, former New England Patriots All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski is among those who give Kittle the edge as the better tight end leading up to the Super Bowl:

"I would probably slightly give the nod to George just because of how dominant he can be in the run game as far as the blocking is concerned," ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick told ESPN's Adam Teicher. "He's maybe slightly faster than Kelce. But either way, you can't lose."

Kittle displayed his ability to impact a game as a blocker in the Niners' 37-20 NFC Championship Game victory over the Green Bay Packers. Kittle only recorded one catch for 19 yards, but running back Raheem Mostert went off for a record-breaking 220 yards and four touchdowns.

The two-time Pro Bowler earned his first All-Pro honor in 2019 despite missing two games with different injury concerns. Kittle was otherwise on pace to match or surpass his career-best 88 catches for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns across 16 regular-season games in 2018.

Kittle's dominant 2019 campaign is anything but a fluke, in other words, and San Francisco has every reason to lock him in long term.