Getty George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers have been linked to nearly every top quarterback available this offseason and it’s understandable since they have been calling almost all of them, including Texans’ star Deshaun Watson.
So, what is the rest of the team thinking? We can’t tell you that, yet. But after doing some snooping, Niners’ tight end George Kittle might have a preference about who he’s rooting for after favoriting Watson’s tweet on Monday.
Let’s Go! 🙏🏾🖤
Of course, this might not mean much, but anyone who uses Twitter certainly only “favorites” who they “favorite,” hah!
The feeling is mutually too since the 49ers are on Watson’s preferred destinations list––and the list isn’t that long.
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The 49ers Are on Deshaun Watson’s Short List
Watson, 25, privately told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler his very short list of teams he would like to join.
“Deshaun Watson has a list of teams that he’s intrigued by. He’s not pigeonholing anything but he’s got a list. I didn’t get all the teams but I was told the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers are two of them,” Fowler said on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ last week.
And we know by now that 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan and owner John Lynch saying over and over that they plan on having Jimmy Garoppolo back next season, is just a good look for the front office until they find and upgrade.
Watson signed a four-year, $156 million contract last offseason with Houston and the 49ers would have to pay a hefty price in order to snag him. This could mean giving up at least two first-round picks along with one of their star players, such as Nick Bosa.
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Kittle’s Favorite Could Be Conflicting
In early February, Kittle made it known he still has faith in Jimmy Garoppolo to be his quarterback.
“I still believe in Jimmy G. I think we can win a Super Bowl with him. I think he’s a fantastic quarterback,” Kittle told Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager.
So if Kittle is secretly wanting Watson to come to the Bay Area, well then he’s just as bad of a liar as the Niners’ front office when praising Jimmy G. to be their starter next season.
Due to injuries, COVID-19, and plenty of other problems, the 49ers were not the same team we saw in 2019. Following an appearance in the Super Bowl, they failed to keep the momentum rolling in 2020 and finished the season with a 6-10 record. A big part of that was Garoppolo’s high ankle injury which limited him to start in just six games.
Watson is younger, meaning he’s more durable and could potentially last another decade for the 49ers, that is if they were to bite the bullet on him.
The good news is, they seem to have Kittle’s approval.
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