The San Francisco 49ers have a tall task in front of them this offseason when trying to figure out how to navigate at least part of the 2026 campaign without tight end George Kittle. The good news is they may not need to look far for a capable replacement.

TE Jake Tonges had 20 NFL games under his belt with zero receptions entering last season. When Kittle went down in Week 1 with a hamstring injury, Tonges got a chance to prove himself as a legitimate backup option for San Francisco. Now he enters the offseason as potentially one of the most important 49ers free agents.

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Here’s a quick look at what decisions the 49ers will have to make with Tonges, who is slated for restricted free agency in the offseason:

Jake Tonges 2025 season recap

It was a big year for Tonges who started two of the 17 games he played while racking up a career-high 399 offensive snaps. He also posted his first-career reception and hauled in 34 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns. The more impressive thing was the difficulty level on some of Tonges’s receptions. He made catches in traffic, high-pointed throws, made receptions on the run and proved in general to be a reliable target with only one drop on 53 targets including the postseason.

Potential replacements for Jake Tonges

There aren’t any clear in-house replacements for a second or third TE. Brayden Willis may be in line for more work, but if the 49ers are letting Tonges go they’re going to need to invest some draft capital in the position if they want a player who can bring some of the pass-catching prowess Tonges brings. If they’re looking for an upgrade, players like David Njoku, Isaiah Likely and Chig Okonkwo are all unrestricted free agents this offseason.

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What contract could Jake Tonges receive as a free agent?

We predicted earlier in the offseason that Tonges would get a right-of-first-refusal restricted free agent tender from the 49ers. That would lock in a one-year, $3,547,000 deal for the 26-year-old with San Francisco while allowing him to explore the free agent market. If he signs an offer sheet elsewhere, the 49ers could match that contract while learning his value around the league.

However, a multiyear deal in the range of the one Luke Farrell received this offseason would make a lot of sense. Farrell was far less productive than Tonges and played only five more offensive snaps. The 49ers last year inked Farrell to a three-year deal worth up to $20.25 million with $11 million guaranteed.

Should the 49ers re-sign Jake Tonges?

Yes, and they should do so with a multi-year contract instead of letting him play out the year on a one-year RFA tender where they make him an unrestricted free agent next year. If Tonges is going to continue being productive as a pass catcher, his contract could very rapidly become a tremendous value.

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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers must re-sign free agent Jake Tonges after George Kittle injury