NFL reporter Dianna Russini is standing by her reporting about George Kittle's contract dispute with the San Francisco 49ers, despite the All-Pro tight end publicly refuting what she's said. Kittle and the Niners are currently negotiating a new deal for the 31-year-old as he's entering the final year of his contract.

The San Francisco 49ers kicked off their offseason program without one of their most important leaders on the field: George Kittle. Known for his dominance in both blocking and receiving, Kittle’s absence from Phase 1 of OTAs sparked immediate speculation.

After a rough down year for the San Francisco 49ers last season, Kyle Shanahan's bunch is (understandably) looking for a major rebound to contention this fall. Such a rebound will likely require everyone in the 49ers' core to be on the same page and working as one.