George Kittle knows what greatness looks like at tight end. He has spent much of his career helping define it.
So when the 49ers star talks about Brock Bowers, the praise carries more weight.
This is one of the best ever ‘tipping his cap’ to the next great one mentions you will ever see.
Ahead of the 49ers matchup against the Raiders Sunday, Kittle offered a reminder of how differently Bowers can stress a defense.
“Confidence in himself, his ability, physical ability,” Kittle said. “You watch him, he runs routes fully extended like he’s Mike Evans. You put him in tight, and he’s running routes on safeties and linebackers. The way he attacks the ball is very unique. There’s no one who really does it like him.”
Moving Bowers around changes more than where the defense has to find him. It changes who must cover him, what that assignment demands and how much help might be necessary.
49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris understands the dilemma.
“He’s a stud,” Morris said. “He’s one of those guys, he can run through the catch, he plays fast, he can do everything.”
The production backs up the praise. Bowers enters Sunday with 41 catches for 547 yards and five touchdowns in six appearances, reaching at least 70 receiving yards in every game. He topped 100 against the Saints and Patriots and most recently punished the Jets with seven catches for 92 yards and two scores.
Morris called Bowers “the ultimate joker,” a description that captures the difficulty of preparing for someone whose position on the roster hardly limits his responsibilities.
“Can move him anywhere, be in the backfield, run routes from the backfield,” Morris said. “He can do it all, so he presents all kinds of matchup problems.”
The challenge becomes greater when the quarterback trusts Bowers enough to challenge coverage that otherwise might discourage a throw.
“He’ll be completely covered, and Kirk just throws it up to him because he’s like, ‘Hey, screw it. Brock’s down there somewhere,’” Kittle said. “When you have that relationship with your quarterback, you’re going to get a lot of opportunities.”
Morris knows containing that combination requires more than assigning one defender and hoping for the best.
“You don’t hold guys like that down without having some versatile pieces, some tools for those types of people,” he said.
Kittle, meanwhile, believes another part of Bowers’ game deserves more recognition.
“I don’t think people give him enough credit for his burst and speed,” he said.
Fortunately for Kittle, solving those problems belongs to someone else.
“He’s going to go out there, and I think he’s going to be a huge challenge for our defense,” Kittle said. “I have no idea what our game plan is for him, but slow him down a little bit, guys.”
One great tight end can recognize the next one.
