Optimism about the availability of San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle for the team’s season opener against the Los Angeles Rams still reigns with one month to go until their Sept. 10 showdown in Melbourne, Australia.
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz on Monday reported “there’s a high level of confidence at this point” that Kittle will be able to suit up when the 49ers and Rams kick off their regular seasons a month from Monday. Zenitz’s report surfaced the same day multiple videos hit social media showing Kittle appearing to go full speed through cone drills and catching passes.
While it’s noteworthy that Kittle looks good in his on-field workouts and hasn’t suffered a setback in his recovery from an Achilles tear he suffered in the 49ers’ wild card win over the Philadelphia Eagles in January, the optimism about his availability certainly isn’t new. General manager John Lynch told reporters on March 29 at the NFL owners meetings that he was hopeful Kittle would be back for the season opener. Lynch again didn’t rule out Kittle playing in Week 1 when he spoke with reporters before training camp began on July 25.
Despite the hope of Kittle’s availability to start the regular season, the star tight end still remains on the PUP list where he’s unable to participate in practices with the team. We’ve yet to see him in a football situation where he’ll be putting maximum strain on his lower body in a non-controlled environment. That’s surely something the team will want to see before rolling out the 32-year-old in a game situation. And none of that even factors in the lengthy flight to and from Australia and the role that could play in Kittle’s long-term recovery.
For now, the optimism is fun and that Kittle might not miss a regular season game after tearing his Achilles in the playoffs the previous year is objectively remarkable. There are still several boxes to check and hurdles to clear in terms of being able to physically make the trip to Australia without jeopardizing his entire season before the optimism about his return can be anything more than a reflection of what we’ve seen the 49ers expressing since March.
More 49ers: 49ers may want to sign RB as injuries mount before preseason opener
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Optimism on George Kittle return for 49ers surges amid report, video
Reporting by Kyle Madson, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kyle Madson, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
