Here we are in yet another episode of the 49ers being notoriously slow in their contract negotiations. It seems they still haven’t learned a lesson from their previous experiences with players like Deebo Samuel, Trent Williams, and Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers just love dragging the contract negotiations until the very end before rewarding their star players. The latest entrant to this long list of 49ers is their star TE George Kittle. As he enters the final year of his 5-year, $75M contract extension that once made him the highest-paid tight end—is now in a contract impasse with the Niners. But apparently, there’s an update which might give some respite to the Bay Area community on the prospect of possibly losing their All-Pro tight end.

Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that teams have started inquiring about a possible trade for Kittle. She then went on to cite that Kittle’s absence from the 49ers OTA was due to them being far apart in negotiations. However, Kittle then personally refuted those claims, commenting on Russini’s initial post, “Your source is incorrect.” But Russini stood by her reporting and added, “There was just so many people sharing about this, that I knew it wasn’t wrong, and it’s not wrong.”

After those back-and-forth jibes, Kittle eventually turned up at the 49ers’ offseason voluntary workouts on Friday. And on Saturday, Russini issued another update on Kittle’s situation in San Francisco. “Teams did inquire with the 49ers about a possible trade. But they are expected to keep him.” Given that the 49ers have only picked defensive players with their first 4 picks, they probably won’t give up Kittle. And it’s not like the first time a player is in a contractual dispute and has been linked with a trade away.

Something similar happened with Brandon Aiyuk. He requested a trade last year but eventually signed a multi-million-dollar extension. So, trade negotiations could just be a part of the bigger picture—that’s contract extension. However, it won’t be a surprise if Kittle does hold out for an extension like Trey McBride. Considering Kittle’s previous designation as the league’s highest-paid TE, he would surely want to have the title back.

But whether the 49ers are going to give their 32-year-old TE a contract worth $19M per season is hard to predict. However, one thing is for certain: Brock Purdy is soon going to get his much-deserved lucrative extension.

Brock Purdy inches closer to his contract extension

Kittle may have missed the first few days of the 49ers’ voluntary training camp. But Purdy, who only makes less than $1.1M per season, was present from day 1, even though it’s he who needs the extension sooner. Under the former Mr. Irrelevant, the 49ers have won 23 games, made two NFL Championship runs, and one Super Bowl. Now, as Purdy enters the final year of his rookie deal, he is expected to finally land an extension. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed on The Rich Eisen Show that the talks between the 49ers and Purdy are heading in the right direction.

“I don’t want to say that they’re close, but they’re at least at a close enough point where you say, like, alright, I could see a deal getting done at some point. So he shows up. When a quarterback holds out, it’s like a whole different thing. So it’s just easier for all of us when he shows up. I do think that was the right move, and I do believe a deal will get done,” Rapoport mused. He also went on to discuss the possible range of contract that Purdy is going to be rewarded with.

“I think he’ll be a $50M quarterback. We’ll see if they get to mid-50s. You never know.” A $50M contract would mean Purdy will be among the highest-paid QBs in the league. Now, if he does get a $55M extension. Purdy would match or surpass Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, and Trevor Lawrence’s contracts, making them $55M or more. And if the 49ers are too generous with their greatest ever late-round gem, they could match Dak Prescott’s $60M per year salary.

Obviously, the chances of it happening are slim. But considering the 49ers have shipped almost 9 starters out the door to make space for Purdy’s extension. You can’t rule out the possibility of Purdy earning more than any other QBs in the league. Won’t that be some story? From earning just $1M to $60M within a year.