We’ve all been left to take a position about what precisely Deebo Samuel’s points are with the San Francisco 49ers and why he made his commerce request public final week. His transfer added a hot-button wrinkle to an offseason that we thought could be centered round transferring away from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
“I’m not going to speak about that a lot as we speak as a result of I don’t suppose that’s productive,” 49ers GM John Lynch stated Monday at his annual information convention forward of this weekend’s NFL draft. “There’s a sanctity to these conversations remaining personal. And that’s all the time how we’ve operated and we’ll proceed to take action on this scenario.”
Neither Samuel, who has been lively on social media and referred to as ESPN’s Jeff Darlington on April 20 to let him know he needs out, nor Lynch have supplied specifics. There are solely questions. Specifically:
— What occurred for the reason that finish of the season, when Samuel so glowingly spoke about being okay together with his position as a “vast again” and his relationship with coach Kyle Shanahan?
“I do consider within the sanctity as I discussed, and people issues stays personal,” Lynch stated.
— What are Samuel’s calls for?
“I’m simply not going to get into these particulars as a result of I simply don’t suppose it’s productive,” the GM stated.
— How do different groups view what is going on with Samuel and would that influence his potential market?
It’s loads to unpack with out having solutions.
Deebo Samuel’s 2021 season
And Samuel’s standing is significant to the 49ers for a lot of, many causes since he grew to become certainly one of their greatest and most indispensable gamers in 2021. There’s no reasonable situation San Francisco is instantly higher with Samuel taking part in elsewhere this fall. Identical to there’s no situation wherein transferring on from Samuel helps combine Trey Lance into the combination as the brand new beginning quarterback greater than if Samuel lined up out vast (or on Lance’s hip as a “vast again”).
Contract negotiations are tough significantly when a lot cash is on the road. As a receiver who had 77 catches for 1,405 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns, Samuel must be in line to make north of $20 million per season, which is in regards to the market fee for Professional Bowl receivers of their primes.
Add the actual fact Samuel rushed for 365 extra yards on 59 carries within the common season (earlier than including 33 for 239 yards in three postseason video games), and Samuel might make the case he’s value greater than what a receiver together with his numbers would make.
Which ends up in the questions on Samuel’s calls for. Would he solely play for San Francisco if his wage is commensurate with a prime wideout and a operating again? Is taking two to 3 extra hits per recreation value a couple of million extra in base wage per season or assured {dollars} over the lifetime of a long-term contract?
Put in much less ambiguous phrases, does Samuel need one thing nearer to $30 million per yr whereas the 49ers would relatively pay him within the $20 to $25 million vary? We are able to’t say for positive, however we will have a look at the scenario and are available away with these believable sticking factors.
For now, the 49ers are making it clear they don’t need to cave and commerce Samuel.
“I can’t ever think about wanting to maneuver on from Deebo,” Lynch stated. “You set your self by the workouts of, though we don’t have a first-round choose, you must be thorough on this course of and put together for all the things. And so, you undergo and try this and he’s simply too good of a participant.”
However can a commerce be dominated out totally? After all not.
“We’ve been constant since we’ve been right here in that we hear (to overtures from different groups) on nearly anybody,” stated Lynch. “That’s one thing we’ll all the time do. However like I stated, I can’t ever think about transferring on from Deebo. He’s been such an important participant for us. He means a lot to this franchise. I’ve received nothing however love for the man.”
Timing is a key level right here. Samuel’s commerce calls for have been made public simply over per week earlier than the NFL draft, when the 49ers might use picks acquired in a possible commerce to make up for his loss.
Samuel would have much less leverage to ask out after the draft as a result of any future draft capital wouldn’t assist the staff till 2023. After all, San Francisco’s big-money contract extensions to its personal draftees (tight finish George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner) have been agreed to late in the summertime, simply earlier than the beginning of coaching camp in 2020 and 2021, respectively. All indicators level to the 49ers preferring to have these talks with Samuel in July.
Lynch balked at a query in regards to the staff’s knack for extending gamers over the summer time. However he did say contract talks with defensive finish Nick Bosa, who can also be due an extension and had his fifth-year possibility picked up Monday (a formality), would occur “on the acceptable time.”
It’s honest to say the 49ers don’t consider now’s the suitable time to increase somebody like Samuel. There are monetary specifics to deal with through the draft and in undrafted free company. Groups’ monetary footage are extra clear when the draft class is finalized and undrafted free brokers are signed. That’s sometimes how San Francisco has operated.
The potential outcomes right here stay limitless. I’ll stick to my prediction in saying I believe the 49ers and Samuel will come to an settlement on a contract in July after deciding to not commerce him this week. I simply don’t know the way one other staff elsewhere is trying on the scenario and pondering it might be clever to ship over a first-round choose, and different picks, for the best to have these negotiations with Samuel.
And sure, that’s regardless of no matter stance Samuel is taking over social media. As a result of with the 49ers he nonetheless has an important probability to place up huge numbers, play for a contending staff and earn a ton of money alongside the best way.
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