Kittle Confident He'll Avoid PUP Before Roster Cuts

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle expressed confidence on Sunday that he will be removed from the physically unable to perform list before the start of the season and remains hopeful his surgically repaired Achilles tendon will allow him to play in the Week 1 opener against the Los Angeles Rams on September 10 in Melbourne, Australia. Kittle, who tore his right Achilles on January 11 during a playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, said he is ahead of schedule in his recovery but acknowledged the next two weeks of practice will be critical in determining his availability.

"I have a chance," Kittle told reporters. "We're running around a lot, hitting top speeds. Hopefully we're back in pads practicing sooner than later. Just trying to check the boxes and not be dumb is what I would say." He added that he is "very confident" he will not be placed on the reserve PUP list, which would require him to miss at least the first four games of the season. The 49ers must make their final roster cuts by August 30, and Kittle expects to be activated before that deadline.

The seven-time Pro Bowl selection described his rehabilitation as "the most boring rehab in the entire...