The 49ers made a quiet move at tight end on Saturday, but the message behind it was loud enough. Khalil Dinkins finalized his reunion with San Francisco on a three-year deal worth roughly $3.1 million, giving the team another long-term body at a position that suddenly looks a lot more complicated than it did not long ago.
That contract matters because Dinkins now joins George Kittle and Jake Tonges as tight ends whose deals run beyond the 2026 season. And when a front office starts stacking that kind of security at one spot, it usually says something about how it sees the future. In this case, it looks like the 49ers are already bracing for the possibility that Kittle’s best days are behind him.
Kittle’s résumé is still elite. Through nine seasons, the Iowa product has averaged 13.5 yards per catch, and he reached two of his best stretches in 2023 and 2024 with more than 14.1 yards per reception in each year.
But 2025 told a different story. His average dropped to 11.0 yards per catch, he missed most of the early part of the season with a hamstring injury, and even after appearing in 11 games, his 57.1 yards per game marked his lowest output since 2022.
His total yardage was also his worst since his rookie season.
Age only sharpens the concern. Kittle turns 34 in less than two months, and that puts him in territory where even the greats have started to slide.
Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, and Greg Olsen all finished their age-34 seasons with fewer than 700 yards. Antonio Gates held up better than the rest, but even he managed only 69 catches for 821 yards, with a 11.9 yards-per-catch average that was the highest among that group.
For San Francisco, the reality is simple: Kittle is still central to what they do, at least for one more season. Jake Tonges has already shown he can step in and start when needed, and Dinkins gives the team another piece for the longer haul. That doesn’t mean the 49ers are ready to move on from Kittle, but it does suggest they’re thinking about the day they have to.
Whether they let his production fall off completely before making a bigger move is unclear. John Lynch wouldn’t be a surprise candidate to add another tight end in 2027, especially with Kittle’s best years now looking like they’re in the rearview mirror.
For 2026, though, the 49ers are still counting on one more strong season from Kittle. That hope may be built as much on optimism as on evidence, but with several receiving options already banged up, San Francisco is going to need him.
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