George

Kittle

Barrows pointed to the team’s investment at wideout — including a potential long-term deal with Brandon Aiyuk — and the drafting of Ricky Pearsall in the 2024 NFL Draft as reasons why the traditionally run-first Kyle Shanahan might lean more toward the pass this season. The team’s postseason run-pass splits, Barrows said, could be instructive for how the Brock Purdy-run offense might operate in 2024. The 49ers “called 109 pass plays and only 77 run plays (non-designed Purdy scrambles are counted as called pass plays) over those three games, a drastic departure from their run-forward ratio of the past,” Barrows said. “Given coach Kyle Shanahan’s trust in Purdy, the investment in the receiving room makes a lot of sense.” In 2023, the Niners had a 56 percent neutral pass rate, the 11th lowest in the NFL. They passed on 60 percent of their plays while trailing last season. An increase in Purdy drop backs would change the prospects for every San Francisco pass catcher in 2024.

Kittle in a podcast appearance said he was well below his 250-pound playing weight following his surgery. He sustained the core injury around midseason last year and played through it during the Niners’ Super Bowl run. “I couldn’t lift,” Kittle said. “I couldn’t do any upper body because of my shoulder and my rib, and I couldn’t do lower [body] because of my core surgery. … I didn’t lift from the Super Bowl until like almost mid-March. ... I went a month without doing anything, I wasn’t supposed to do anything.” Kittle, 30, plans to work this summer to gain back the weight he lost ahead of his eighth pro season. Last year, Kittle was tenth among tight ends in receptions (65) and first in receiving yards (1,023).

Kittle told reporters he suffered the injury around Week 9 or 10 and played through it for the remainder of the season. He has been out of commission for OTAs but wasn’t concerned about his availability for camp, saying his recovery is on schedule. Kittle topped 1,000 yards for the third time in his career and caught 65 passes despite the injury. He didn’t miss any games outside of the rest week all San Francisco starters got in Week 18. Though his production remains streaky, Kittle showed no signs of slowing in 2023 and remains in the middle of the TE1 pack.

The move will save the team about $10 million against the salary cap in 2024. Kittle, 30, is signed through the 2025 season. An elite blocking tight end, Kittle in 2023 had 65 catches for 1,020 yards and six touchdowns, continuing to operate as one of the league’s best after the catch.

Bottled up all night by the Chiefs’ lockdown man coverage, Kittle briefly headed to the locker room with a right shoulder issue in overtime. Although Kittle managed “just” 65/1,020/6 in the 49ers’ crowded skill corps, his devastating all-around game earned him first-team All-Pro honors for the second time in his increasingly illustrious career. It is frustrating that a player who led all tight ends in yards after the catch per reception and yards per route run ranked just ninth in TE targets, but Kittle’s efficiency is downright scary at this point. Although he’s now on the wrong side of 30, Kittle also appeared in at least 16 games for just the second time in his career. Kittle’s age and injury history can’t be ignored, but there is little reason to expect him to fall out of the top 3-4 at tight end in 2024.

Kittle was limited in each of the 49ers’ first two practices to open the week but was upgraded to full on Friday. The veteran tight end was never at risk of missing Sunday’s game and is officially good to go after being removed from the report. In addition to Kittle, the 49ers also removed Arik Armstead (knee/foot) from the injury report.

Kittle has been limited in back-to-back practices, but the 49ers continue to say he’ll play. Kittle has played in every game this postseason, so we wouldn’t expect him to miss the Super Bowl of all games. Whatever he’s dealing with doesn’t appear to be major.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Kittle was limited in practice with a toe injury. Defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot) was also limited, but Shanahan believes both will be a full-go on Thursday. Kittle previously told reporters he was not concerned about his toe injury and was considered day-to-day. With the Super Bowl looming, expect Kittle to be available against the Chiefs.

Kittle did not practice this week but still has another week to work his way back from the toe issue. Head coach Kyle Shanahan called him day-to-day earlier in the week and Kittle himself downplayed the injury while talking to reporters. We fully expect him to suit up for the biggest game of the year. Kittle will be a high-variance DFS option for the Super Bowl.

The 49ers did not practice on Wednesday, so the day’s practice report is just an estimation. Kittle was the only player listed as DNP as head coach Kyle Shanahan previously stated that he will be day-to-day with a toe issue. With over a week left until the Super Bowl, Kittle is still on track to play against the Chiefs.