George Kittle's contract extension was on the 49ers' mind all offseason and much of training camp, until the All-Pro tight end officially put pen to paper.
The 49ers' biggest rival thought a lot about it, too.
The Seattle Seahawks traded a fortune -- specifically, two first-round picks (2021 and 2022), a 2021 third-round pick and safety Bradley McDougald -- to acquire All-Pro safety Jamal Adams. Seahawks general manager John Schneider admitted Kittle's presence was a factor in Seattle acquiring Adams, and NBC Sports Bay Area analyst Ian Williams believes that's one of the truest testaments to Kittle's greatness.
"You made Seattle sell their souls for the next couple years, and their future picks in the first round, to the Jets for Jamal Adams," Williams said, addressing Kittle in a digital video for NBC Sports Bay Area. "Very good player, but that player was brought in to be versatile, help the defense do more things that they couldn't do last year and, uh, cover you. Yeah, you're forcing teams to do what they don't want to do."
Kittle set the NFL's single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end in 2017 (1,377) and his two seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards are the only ones by a tight end in franchise history. The Seahawks are hoping Adams can be their long-term answer to Kittle, but they need to sign him first.
Just as Kittle was entering this season, Adams is eligible to sign a contract extension. Seattle will have Adams under contract through 2021 because New York already exercised his fifth-year option, and the Seahawks reportedly are content waiting to sign him. Adams reportedly wants to be the NFL's highest-paid safety.
[RELATED: Kittle channels Ric Flair to celebrate his new 49ers contract]
Time will tell if Adams remains in the Pacific Northwest, and if his presence is enough to neutralize Kittle in future 49ers-Seahawks matchups.
Kittle undoubtedly forced Seattle's hand this summer, and that's enough to give the tight end the upper hand in Williams' eyes.
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