Purdy Attends 49ers, Kittle Skips Offseason Program

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Tuesday marked the beginning of the offseason program for the San Francisco 49ers with quarterback Brock Purdy present and participating, while notable tight end George Kittle opted to sit out the voluntary sessions.
Purdy and Kittle, who are nearing the ends of their current contracts, are both endeavoring to negotiate extensions. This situation has fueled discussions regarding their motivations and potential decisions regarding participation.
The 49ers have navigated similar contractual hurdles in past seasons. Examples include Deebo Samuel, who missed the early parts of training camp in 2022 until his extension was finalized. Likewise, Nick Bosa’s contract was not signed until mere days before the 2023 season commenced, while Brandon Aiyuk missed the entirety of the summer camp last year before settling his contract.
In January, Purdy expressed hope of having a new deal set before the offseason preparations began. Although this has yet to materialize, he chose not to sit out, focusing instead on helping the team improve from last season’s 6-11 record.
General manager John Lynch praised Purdy’s professionalism, stating, “That’s Brock. He’s a pro. Very clear-minded and not swayed by others…” Lynch further emphasized his optimism for Purdy as a long-term quarterback for the team.
Still within the initial stages of his career, Purdy has earned under $1 million annually over his first three seasons. A modest increase to $5.2 million is expected in 2025, a recognition of his Pro Bowl selection.
Despite outperforming his current contract, Purdy is for the first time poised to negotiate an extension that could significantly increase his salary to over $50 million per year. Lynch remains hopeful that an agreement can be reached, hinting that discussions are proceeding positively.
Purdy’s statistics, notably less impressive last season, were affected by injuries to critical teammates. While his passer rating dipped nearly 17 points to 96.1, and he recorded 20 touchdown passes against 12 interceptions, confidence in Purdy remains high among team leadership.
Kittle, aged 31, is in the final year of a five-year deal worth $75 million signed in 2020, and will earn a base salary of $14.4 million this season. The tight end salary landscape saw a shift as Trey McBride signed a lucrative $76 million deal with Arizona.
Kittle delivered stats last year earning him second-team All-Pro honors, accumulating 78 catches, 1,106 yards, and eight touchdowns. Since his 2017 drafting, Kittle’s performance has consistently been among the league’s best, with multiple All-Pro selections and impressive career totals.
Lynch indicated that it remains uncertain if Kittle will join at a later stage, stating, “We’ll see on that…We’ve had good communication and good talks and we’ll see how that goes.”
Additionally, left tackle Trent Williams was reported to be in good health after recovering from last season’s ankle injury, having participated in this initial offseason program.