Nfl Draft Outlook: How George Kittle's Injury Could Impact 49ers' Tight End Need

NFL draft outlook: How George Kittle's injury could impact 49ers' tight end need originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When tight end George Kittle was carted off the field in the first round of the playoffs, it was reasonable to wonder if things would ever be the same.

Kittle, a veteran of nine NFL seasons who turns 33 in October, sustained a torn right Achilles on Jan. 11 in the 49ers’ 23-19 victory at Philadelphia.

However, it does not appear to be the kind of career-turning injury originally feared.

General manager John Lynch provided a recent update. He said the organization remains “hopeful” that Kittle will be available when the 49ers open the regular season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.

Kittle is coming off a difficult season. He missed six regular-season games due to a hamstring injury he sustained in Week 1 at Seattle.

The 49ers turned to Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell to perform the duties that Kittle typically handles by himself.

Tonges was the pass-catcher. He had 34 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns. Tonges had the most catches and touchdowns from a 49ers tight end not named George Kittle since Vernon Davis in 2013.

Farrell was signed a year ago to serve as the blocking specialist. He caught the first two touchdown passes of his five-year NFL career.

Who’s here: George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Luke Farrell, Brayden Willis, Hayden Rucci.

Who’s gone: None.

Who’s unsigned: None.

What’s happened: Tonges was scheduled for restricted free agency, and the 49ers locked him up with a two-year, $8 million contract.

Tonges remains on the roster after signing a three-year, $15.75 million contract as a free agent a year ago.

Draft outlook: With the encouraging update on Kittle’s health, perhaps it’s not such a high priority for the 49ers to bring in another tight end.

But the 49ers should be open-minded about adding a tight end with the No. 27 overall selection if Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq remains available. Sadiq is an athletic marvel at 6-foot-3, 241 pounds. He ran a blistering 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a vertical leap of 43.5 inches and a broad jump of 11 feet, 1 inch.

If available at No. 58 overall, the 49ers could be tempted to grab Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt).

In the fourth round, the 49ers might have the option of choosing among local prospects Sam Roush (Stanford) and Jack Endries (Cal/Texas). Also, the 49ers have done their homework on Michael Trigg (Baylor).

With six draft picks, it would stand to reason that tight end would be a position the 49ers will look to address.

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