The largest question looming over the 49ers right now remains that of Deebo Samuel‘s future with the team. In the aftermath of a trade request which did not lead to him being moved, general manager John Lynch spoke recently about his intentions of keeping the wideout. 
When directly asked about Samuel’s future, Lynch said, “We haven’t traded him, and I’d be a fool to trade him, so yes, Deebo will be part of the 49ers this season” (Twitter link via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). The team’s front office has maintained their intention of keeping Samuel, but that statement is the most definitive to date with respect to quashing trade talk.
Samuel, 26, formally requested a trade one week before the draft in April. Not surprisingly, several teams showed interest in acquiring him, including the Jets; it was reported that they offered the No. 10 pick for the All-Pro receiver, but there was no point at which San Francisco came close to moving him.
Samuel has only one season remaining on his rookie contract, meaning that Lynch’s remarks could still refer strictly to the immediate future. He made it clear earlier in the offseason that the team had budgeted for sizeable extensions with both Samuel and Nick Bosa. However, there is a notable gap in the reported value of San Francisco’s initial offer and the terms Samuel is believed to be seeking on his second contract.
The South Carolina alum is currently absent from the team’s OTAs, something which has been expected since mid-April. In the absence of a new deal, Samuel will earn just under $4MM, while carrying a cap hit of $4.9MM. His level of play, especially this past season, has led many to believe he will be one of the next beneficiaries of the substantial upward trend in the receiver market around the league. While there is still plenty of time for a deal to be worked out, there is further evidence that Samuel will remain in the Bay Area for at least one more year.
I think the NFL has to place some new rules on these players calling for extensions or trades. You signed a contract dude. Fulfill it
They already have tons of those rules. He signed the only contract he’s allowed to get. He wasn’t allowed to pick his team, negotiate for more money, or even *seek* an extension until after three years in the NFL. He couldn’t do anything at all for three years he was vastly outperforming his contract. Now you want to stop him from seeking a new contract before his walk year, too?
Vastly outperformed? He’s played one and a half good years and doesn’t want to be used in the way that makes him an All-Pro receiver… Niners have been burned enough by guys that have one good season and want a massive contract
The maximum value of Deebo’s whole rookie deal is a little over $10 million. Philly just traded a first round pick and a third round pick for the opportunity to pay AJ Brown $100 million over 4 years, with more than half that guaranteed. Christian Kirk just got 4 years $72 million with more than half that guaranteed. So yeah, Samuel vastly outperformed his whole rookie deal last year alone. And no kidding he doesn’t want to pull double duty as a running back–the most punishing and easily injured position in the game–before his financial future is secure. That’s common sense. He’s also had more than one good season. His rookie year was very solid, and then the next year he had a combination of injuries and Nick Mullens. It’s not like last year was out of nowhere.
Exactly atuck_sfg ! My thoughts exactly! Prove some consistency first!
One bad hit and his career could be over. The guy proved that he is a viable weapon and was used as such, if not overused as such. You can’t blame these guys for chasing the money, their careers aren’t guaranteed to make them life changing money. What he’s made on his rookie deal is definitely a lot more money than most of us will see over that time span, but it’s not life changing money.
$10 million is not life-changing money? These athletes and their advocates are certainly a spoiled lot. Rookie contracts carry a risk. Samuel has the option of signing on an extension on team favourable terms now or playing out his rookie contract and betting on himself.
Players shouldn’t be able to have their cake and eat it too. It makes nonsense of the whole concept of contracts.
Teams are the ones who have their cake and eat it, too. Again, they’re not even allowed to pay players more until their fourth season. I wouldn’t have phrased $10 million as not life changing money, but pay California taxes, living in the most expensive city in America, agent fees, etc., and that’s not set for life securely money. If he suffers a career ending injury in OTAs and they cut him instantly, his career earnings would be under $7 million before taxes, etc. And this is doing a job where people who do what he does as well as he does it are valued at more than $20 million per season.
John Lynch got more guaranteed money to be GM when he had never worked for a team as a non-player before than Deebo will collect for his whole rookie deal.
Boy that’s a headline that can be read more than one way… I thought Lynch was going to say that Deebo only has a short-term future as a Niner.
So tired of the Divas in the NFL. I’m a die hard niner fan but he had ONE good year and constantly gets hurt, he’s been hurt in some capacity every year and now wants to be paid like someone who’s done it for years (D. Adams , T.Hill, come on Deebo your day is coming but consistency is a part of the equation also and the reason why the first offer was 19m a year! Boo hoo I’d play the game for fun!
No one’s inviting you to play NFL football for fun. You’re just some guy. And if you were invited to play against NFL players just for fun, you’d realize that was foolish after taking one hit and quit. AJ Brown’s got $100 million coming, $56 million of it guaranteed. Why is it diva behavior to not pull double duty at the league’s most punishing position for $4 million or settle for less than 80% of what Brown got?
@sleepy
were you at the negotiating table? If not how do you know what the real deal was? For all you know it was 19M annual with only 1M guaranteed. Hell teams could offer 600M a season but only 250k is guaranteed and if they cut him he doesnt get 600M he gets 250k.
Everyone talks about how Mahomes got 450M of 500M contract in reality he has a 150M contract with incentives and bonuses over 12 years that could reach those highs. I believe its 2024 the chiefs can decide he is not good enough anymore and cut him and he walks away with 150M and nothing else (not chump change i know but he doesnt even end up with 1/3 of what he signed for.
Also if i remember correctly isnt Adams been hurt for periods the last few years and the packers actually play better when he is not playing record wise? I believe hill has also been injury prone as well missing almost an entire season a couple years ago.
The way he’s been used for that “one good year” essentially removes the possibility of consistency.
I’ll always counter any diva/honor your contract argument with the fact that SF’s “WideBack” usage of him is not a precedent the NFL wants. This is a league of teams that have historically incorporated novelty/ingenuity that’s been successful for another team.
Sticking with Deebo: there’s no GM that will give him a long term contract after this season … none. That “one good year” took SF deep into the playoffs while shortening his playing career by several; and that’s being conservative considering the hits he’s taken out of the backfield.
I agree with some of your points, but I guarantee you several GMs would give him a long-term deal. Any of the teams that would have traded notable draft capital to land him presumably would have insisted on locking him up.
Samuel is not unique as a WideBack. LeVeon Bell did the same for the Steelers. Anthony Gibson plays the same for position for the former Redskins. There’s been others.
Yes, like running back, it’s a position with a short lifespan. Samuel should sign his extension now, paying the penalty for signing early by not obtaining the absolute top-of-the-market a free agent can secure.
Those guys are not that similar. Deebo is still very much a wide receiver, while also pulling extra duty as a RB. Deebo’s career average depth of target on passes is still over 7 yards. Bell’s is under 1. Gibson’s is under 0.
Interesting and important stats, thanks for sharing! Not sure it changes Deebo’s contract situation or career longevity though. Maybe – more hits by safeties and fewer hits by linebackers.