San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has made multiple headlines this summer due to his demands.
Despite requesting a trade in April, Samuel reported for the first day of training camp this Wednesday. He won’t take part in practice, but he will work on his conditioning.
Samuel’s agents are negotiating an extension with the 49ers. It would be wise for him to avoid participating in drills until a long-term deal gets done.
With just one year remaining on Samuel’s rookie contract, there’s no question that he’s due for a substantial raise.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talked about Samuel’s situation. He’s optimistic the two sides will agree to an extension.
“Hopefully we can figure something out soon, but we’re in a good place today,” Shanahan told reporters.
49ers general manager John Lynch is also taking an optimistic approach to this situation.
“We’ve had really productive and substantive talks,” Lynch said on Tuesday, via NFL.com. “I don’t want to get everyone all excited that something is imminent, because we’re not there yet. But really hopeful that in the near future, we’ll be able to announce something that is exciting for everyone involved. Deebo is here today, and we’re excited about moving forward with him as part of this team.”
Samuel had a breakout season in 2021, hauling in 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns. He also had 365 rushing yards on 59 carries.
The 49ers will need to write a large check to ensure that Samuel will be on their roster beyond the 2022 season.