49ers could reduce four-time Pro Bowler's workload

The 49ers have a number of players set to serve in significant roles on offense in 2023, but tight end George Kittle will once again be an instrumental member of the unit. He may be on the field slightly less than previous years, though.

San Francisco has received high-end play from the 29-year-old during his six-year career, one that has involved a number of notable injuries. Kittle has nevertheless been able to suit up for at least 14 games in all but one of his campaigns to date, remaining a workhorse in the running and passing games during that time. Since his rookie season, his snap shares have ranged between 84% and 92%.

The 49ers are intent on lowering those figures, as detailed by ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. A small step back in Kittle’s usage rate would not, of course, be seen as a slight against his abilities but rather an attempt at keeping him fresher within games and over the course of the season. The team’s attempts at finding suitable complementary tight ends in recent years have not yielded much in the way of success, however, requiring Kittle to handle a significant workload.

“It’s not that we want to take plays off of George, because he’s one of the best players in the league and you want to have him out there, especially in critical moments,” tight ends coach Brian Fleury said on the subject of Kittle’s playing time. “But we also want to have the ability to function at a high level in the event that he potentially breaks a chin strap and has to come out for a few plays.”

The 49ers used two of their draft picks on tight ends this year, selecting Cameron Latu in the third round and Brayden Willis in the seventh. The pair will join special teamers Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley at the TE spot, leaving a considerable gap between themselves and Kittle, a four-time Pro Bowler. The emergence of one or more of the team’s depth options as a capable pass-catcher (compared to a skillset used exclusively for run blocking) would go a long way in easing the two-way burden Kittle has carried throughout his career.

The All-Pro could very well find himself in contention for a third 1,000-yard campaign in 2023, given the expectations surrounding the 49ers offense. A 2022 restructure of Kittle’s five-year, $75M extension means he accounts for significant cap hits in each of the next three seasons, so his health and production will remain paramount moving forward. On that point, the former firth-rounder noted that he is better shape than previous offseasons, something that should be cause for optimism heading into 2023. The team’s plan of finding extra time on the sidelines for him will be a storyline worth watching as the campaign progresses.