San Francisco 49ers star extensive receiver Deebo Samuel shocked the NFL world earlier this month by reportedly requesting a commerce from the workforce after simply three seasons.

Samuel, 26, is coming off a completely sensible 2021 season and is eligible for an extension for the primary time in his profession.

Beforehand, a report broke that San Francisco had provided Samuel $19 million yearly with the All-Professional receiver rightfully demanding roughly $25 million on a per-year foundation. That’s a dramatic distinction.

Extra not too long ago, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported that Samuel advised the 49ers he doesn’t even wish to obtain a contract provide. Relatively, he merely desires out of city.

“I’d say that’s right that Deebo Samuel has not obtained a suggestion from the 49ers. From my understanding, he principally advised them, ‘I wish to be traded. Do not make a suggestion.’ I do not assume that is about cash,” Ian Rapoport on the Pat McAffee Show.

Proper now, it’s anybody’s finest guess what is going on behind the scenes. San Francisco tends to maintain every little thing near the vest. Till common supervisor John Lynch speaks to the media in his pre-draft press convention on Monday, we’re not going to listen to something from the group. Actually, it could be a shock if the normally tight-lipped Lynch provides us something of substance throughout the annual presser. It’s a guessing recreation.

What we do know is that Samuel’s social media exercise and unwillingness to push again towards studies that he has requested a commerce tells us a serious story. He’s sad with the group and needs out. Beneath, I take a look at why the 49ers ought to honor his commerce request

San Francisco 49ers Speak About Profitable Tradition

Since becoming a member of the 49ers’ group forward of the 2017 season, Lynch has talked a few profitable tradition on a close to unending loop. It’s on this that he’s been in lockstep with each head coach Kyle Shanahan and workforce CEO Jed York.

Again in January of 2020, York talked concerning the launch of former first-round decide Reuben Foster as a defining second within the Lynch/Shanahan tenure.

“I don’t know that that might have been the case with each different coach or each different common supervisor – not simply right here, however throughout the league – as a result of it’s arduous to surrender on expertise,” York stated, through NBC Sports activities Bay Space. “And I believe that, to me, is without doubt one of the defining moments of John and Kyle of having the ability to say, ‘This was a first-round decide in our first yr and we moved on from it, and it was arduous.”

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I’m not evaluating Samuel’s scenario to Foster. That will be silly. However after we speak about a profitable tradition, that extends to the locker room and gamers really shopping for in. Proper now, it’s fairly clear that Samuel doesn’t wish to be in stated locker room in Santa Clara.

In brief, retaining Samuel towards his needs would create a dynamic inside the 49ers’ group that doesn’t outline the profitable tradition Lynch, York and Shanahan proceed to speak about.

Deebo Samuel Contract And NFL Extensive Receiver Market

The backdrop right here is an ever-evolving extensive receiver market that has seen big-name gamers, together with Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams, obtain completely big extensions.

Hill signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Miami Dolphins after a commerce from the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. After seeing the franchise tag positioned on him, Adams was traded from the Inexperienced Bay Packers to the Las Vegas Raiders — promptly signing a five-year, $140 million cope with his new workforce. In the meantime, Buffalo Payments star Stefon Diggs inked a large four-year, $96 million extension in Western New York.

What does this all imply? Nicely, it’s fairly easy. Samuel is vastly underpaid whereas working beneath his rookie contract. His market is $25-plus million yearly. It’s one thing the 49ers may very effectively be pushing again towards given Samuel is coming off his first Professional Bowl season and has missed 11 video games to damage in three years.

San Francisco 49ers Wage Cap Scenario

As this whole Deebo Samuel scenario performs out, there’s one other backdrop right here. That features San Francisco putting a precedence on signing star edge rusher Nick Bosa to a contract extension.

“We’ve had good communication with Tory [Dandy] who represents Deebo and Bryan Ayrault who represents Nick,” Lynch stated again in March. “We’ve a plan for every of these guys. We’ll preserve these discussions personal however like I’ve lengthy stated, these guys are going to be part of us for a protracted, very long time.”

In hindsight, it is a fairly fascinating quote. Whereas Samuel has taken his points to a public discussion board, Bosa has not carried out the identical. It’s a transparent suggestion that contract talks between the previous NFL Defensive Rookie of the Yr and his group are going swimmingly.

Talking of stated contract, it doesn’t take a genius to comprehend Bosa will break the financial institution. He’s going to outpace what his brother, Joey Bosa, obtained from the Los Angeles Chargers again in July of 2020. Bosa inked a five-year, $135 million extension with Los Angeles. Actually, it could not be a shock if Bosa turned the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past with a mean annual wage of $30 million or so.

Some rightfully level out that San Francisco must spend with the massive boys in an effort to cope with the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams within the NFC West.

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But it surely’s not so simple as that. San Francisco has already spent the massive bucks on left sort out Trent Williams, tight finish George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner.

Williams stays the highest-paid left sort out in NFL historical past with a mean annual wage of $23 million. Each Kittle ($15 million) and Warner ($19.05 million) reset the markets at their respective positions once they signed their extensions with San Francisco.

It’s not about really spending cash. Relatively, it’s about allocation of sources. Whether or not San Francisco believes that stated restricted sources ought to embody giving Samuel $25 million yearly after one nice season stays to be seen.

Deebo Samuel Commerce Worth

Kansas Metropolis acquired 5 draft picks from Miami for Tyreek Hill. That included a primary and second-round decide within the 2022 NFL Draft. Inexperienced Bay additionally obtained the Raiders’ first and second rounders on this yr’s draft for Davante Adams.

Given the truth that Samuel is greater than three yr youthful than each Hill and Adams, this must be the starting-off level in commerce talks. That’s very true when evaluating what the three did in 2021 and together with recency bias.

Deebo Samuel stats (2021): 77 receptions, 1,405 yards, 365 speeding yards, 14 TD

Davante Adams stats (2021): 123 receptions, 1,553 yards, 11 TD

Tyreek Hill stats (2021): 111 receptions, 1,239 yards, 9 TD

Let’s take a look at the New York Jets for example. Basic supervisor Joe Douglas didn’t shoot down rumors that they’re focused on buying Samuel from San Francisco. The workforce was additionally in on Hill earlier than he was dealt from Kansas Metropolis to Miami.

Any dialog with the Jets must begin with the tenth decide and younger extensive receiver Elijah Moore. From there, New York would then have to supply up a pair earlier-to-mid spherical picks in an effort to make this work.

From a monetary perspective, this may very well be a cheap choice for San Francisco. The workforce was focused on drafting Moore earlier than he was chosen by New York within the second-round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The previous Mississippi standout is dynamic with the ball in his fingers and can be an ideal slot in Kyle Shanahan’s offense with Trey Lance tossing him the rock.

The purpose right here is fairly easy. San Francisco nonetheless has Elijah Mitchell, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk as top-end skill-position gamers. If it could actually get a bounty for Samuel whereas having the ability to purchase a less expensive receiver, it’s one thing John Lynch and Co. should take into consideration.

Regardless, the 49ers should not able to disclaim Samuel’s commerce request. It might create a foul dynamic within the locker room with the workforce set handy over the keys to the dominion to Mr. Lance. Nobody desires to see that.