49ers TE George KittleAssociated Press
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs became the two highest-paid bottlenecks in the NFL. Aaccording to NFL Media Ian Rapoport. Kittle signed a five year extension valued at $ 75 million, while Kelce reportedly signed a four year extension valued at $ 57 million.
According to Spotrac, Kittle’s new deal ($ 15 million) is just ahead of Kelce ($ 14.3 million) in annual value, while Los Angeles Chargers’ Hunter Henry has an annual salary of $ 10.6 million -Dollars next is his one-year franchise tag.
The Cleveland Browns’ Austin Hooper is the only other close end that is set to make over $ 10 million a year from its current business. Given that he was the highest paid end of the league in terms of annual value – not including the tagged Henry – when he signed that deal, it’s safe to say that Kelce and Kittle put the market back on a significant scale.
Now it’s worth noting that Kittle and Kelce aren’t your usual tight ends. As ESPN’s Field Yates pointed out recently, it’s players who appear on pace for the Hall of Fame:
Teams usually won’t hesitate to pay a real differentiator, which is exactly what Kittle and Kelce are.
“When you have a guy like George who is different and special, and it’s not just about being the best tight end in the NFL but who he is after that,” said Kyle Shanahan, 49ers head coach. towards KNBR Murph & Mac Show (h / t Matt Maiocco from NBC Sports Bay Area).
These massive paydays aren’t just about Kittle and Kelce individually, though. The reality is that an elite pass-catching tight-end has become one of the main perks of any modern NFL crime – and contracts are starting to reflect that.
Why are tight ends so valuable?
Having a top-notch pass catcher on the tight end isn’t a new NFL fad – Kellen Winslow released a 1,000 yard season in the early 1980s. As the NFL rosters have evolved, offensive coordinators have been able to use tight ends to regularly cause larger and more significant mismatches.
Much of this has to do with the way NFL crime shifted to show passport first and often the most. The defense has responded by often using smaller but faster and faster linebackers and security measures to improve coverage.
Brian Urlacher, who was considered a rangy middle linebacker in his day, was a strong 6’4 “and 258 pounds. Cory Littleton, who signed a three-year contract for $ 35.3 million in the free agency largely because of his coverage eligibility, is at 6 listed ‘3 “and 228 pounds.
An elite tight end is almost always a speed / savvy mismatch against a linebacker, but in many cases they are now a physical mismatch as well. In the past, there has been a size-to-strength mismatch in defensive backs. They can also attack tight ends with speed and runnability.
This has to do with how modern bottlenecks are developed and trained. The modern narrow end is no longer a player who occasionally sneaks out of the trenches to catch a pass. It has the speed, field vision, and footwork of a # 1 wideout.
Tight ends like Kittle and Kelce can mistake it for linebackers and collateral while keeping up with cornerbacks. They are the ultimate quarterback safety blanket as they almost never find themselves in an awkward situation.
Just think of the fact that when Kittle broke out during the 2018 season – with 1,377 yards and five touchdowns – he did so with the tandem of CJ Beathard and Nick Mullens at the quarterback. Kelce had two consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards before Patrick Mahomes assumed the position of chief quarterback.
Of course, tight ends are still expected to jam, and the big ones – like Kelce and Kittle – can do this at a high level.
The narrow end has really become one of the most versatile pawns for an NFL offensive coordinator, and they are changing what offenses can and how they do it.
What’s next on the treaty front?
Just four bottlenecks are said to bring in more than $ 10 million annually, but that is about to change. The position has too much value, as Bleacher Report’s Ian Kenyon recently pointed out:
Now Brandin Cooks and Jarvis Landry are good passport catchers. Cooks can take off the top of a defense, Landry is a reliable chain mover, and both were receivers with a range of 1,000 meters. However, Kittle can do both, for example, while harassing defenders as inline blockers.
Getting that versatility at the same price as a good but not all-pro wideout is one enormously Value. Soon we will see land contracts with elite bottlenecks closer to those of elite recipients.
This is comparable to how defensive tackle contracts started catching up with edge rusher contracts.
Teams are more likely to rely on internal pressure to tackle fast pass violations and free up pocket space. While quarterbacks can go upstairs to dodge edge rushers or get the ball away before they arrive, it’s harder to escape a defensive attack that attacks head-on. The market has started to reflect, and elite defensive tackles like DeForest Buckner – the a Extension of four years for $ 84 million This off-season begins with entry into an area of $ 20 million per year.
A changing approach to defense has increased the market value of defensive tackles, and a changing offensive approach can do the same for tight ends. As NFL passing attacks become more prominent in the league, so will the gap between tight-end and wide-out contracts.
Who’s next?
While the next tight end to get paid may not surpass Kelce and Kittle’s deals the next way, the two Pro Bowlers opened the door to tight ends to consistently top $ 10 million per season. This is tremendous news for bottlenecks like Zach Ertz of the Philadelphia Eagles, Darren Waller of the Las Vegas Raiders, and Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens.
Ertz, an established tight end and three-time pro bowler, could land an extension in the next off-season. However, he still has one year left on his current deal with a cap hit of $ 12.47 million.
In theory, Philadelphia could postpone Ertz’s payment for another year, although he may think he should get paid among the league’s top tight ends. He certainly thinks he is one of them.
“”I consider myself in this upper tier of boys, in line with all of these boys“Said Ertz via Jimmy Kempski from the PhillyVoice.
Waller has just signed a four-year extension with the Raiders, so Las Vegas shouldn’t be in a hurry to get him a new deal. However, if he continues to produce like 2019 – 90 catches, 1,145 yards and three touchdowns – Waller may want a raise soon.
Waller’s annual salary is currently $ 7.53 million. He, Kelce, and Kittle were the only bottlenecks to hit 1000 yards last season.
Realistically, Andrews is the tight end that is likely to benefit the quickest from the new contract landscape. The Oklahoma product was a pro bowler for the first time in 2019, ending with 852 yards and 10 touchdowns. In Baltimore’s misdemeanor, he is de facto the No. 1 recipient of Lamar Jackson.
Andrews hopes his strong 2019 campaign is just a starting point.
“When I look back on this off-season, I’ve had a lot of time to think and watch movies. I’m really working on my body to get to the next level,” Andrews said of the Ravens’ official website. “I want to be the best close end. I’m not there yet. I’m looking forward to showing what I can do this year.”
The 2018 third round selection, which is eligible for an extension in the next off-season, is expected to raise less than $ 1 million in 2020 and just $ 1.13 million in 2021.
While tight ends like Andrews will strive to become more like Kittle and Kelce on the field, they will also be grateful for what they accomplished at the negotiating table. In the meantime, teams that don’t have a Kittle or Kelce on their roster will keep digging to find them.
.
