George Kittle Shares Honest Message About Deebo

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch made one thing perfectly clear at the start of the offseason: his team would be getting younger and cheaper. That led to a mass exodus during free agency that saw the Niners accomplish that exact goal. 

It came at the sacrifice of some talented players. But San Francisco nonetheless pushed the envelope on this issue themselves. While most players left through free agency they did not hesitate to help players under contract find a new destination. 

That led to the team trading No. 1 wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders before the start of free agency. This, of course, marks a major change in the makeup of the Niners' offense. 

Despite this, former teammate and current Niners star George Kittle is wishing Samuel nothing but the best with his new team. He shared an honest message about the transition during a recent appearance on the "Bussin with the Boys" podcast. 

"I'm happy for him that he went to Washington," he said. "Guys need a fresh start sometimes, and he wanted a fresh start, and so, I'm very happy for him. I'm sad that I don't have him on my team anymore because I just loved having him around the locker room and stuff like that. But I'm happy for him."

Samuel's production had dipped in recent years but his dynamic skillset was still of use in Kyle Shanahan's offense. Unfortunately, the price became too steep with the other big contracts the team had on the books and agreed to this spring. 

Kittle was the beneficiary of one of those new deals, signing a four-year $76 million extension a few months back. Nonetheless, it's clear both sides were ready for a fresh start and each party stands to benefit from the move. 

Samuel's role changes as the No. 2 in Washington but has a clearly defined role absolutely necessary for that offense. Meanwhile, the young receivers in San Francisco get their chance to blossom with Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings taking on more pronounced responsibilities. 

While it's unfortunate to see a teammate and friend go, the positive for Kittle remains that both men are set up for success seasons in 2025.