The San Francisco 49ers have come close to winning a Super Bowl the last two seasons and they are heading into 2024 with every intention on claiming another Lombardi Trophy.
For the most part, John Lynch and the 49ers brass have been able to keep the bulk of last year’s squad in tact, minus a few additions on defense like Arik Armstead and Chase Young, who the team acquired halfway through the season via a trade with Washington.
But one of the biggest storylines all offseason has centered around the San Francisco 49ers possibly trading one of their star wide receivers. Since the end of the season, All-Pro wideout Brandon Aiyuk has been linked to multiple trade rumors as he enters the final year of his contract.
He publicly voiced his displeasure and desire for a contract extension which led many to believe a trade was inevitable.
More recently, Deebo Samuel’s name came up as a possible trade option just ahead of the NFL Draft. Both players are key pieces to the 49ers offense —and while there hasn’t been a move made as of yet — the additions of two talented wide receivers in the first round and fourth round of the draft last week has led to speculation at least one of the two veteran pass catchers will be traded.
San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch Shuts Down Trade Rumors For Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel
It appears that if the 49ers are going to trade one of Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk, they are going to have to be overwhelmed by the offer.
San Francisco G.M. John Lynch said over the weekend that the team did not entertain trade offers for either receiver on Day 2 of the draft. He went further during a Thursday appearance on the Pat McAfee show, essentially saying that the San Francisco 49ers were no longer interested in moving either player.
“During the course of drafts and offseasons, do conversations happen? Absolutely they do,” Lynch said, via Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. “We’re past that now.
“We’re thrilled to add to that group [of] Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell, Danny Gray, and now you add Ricky Pearsall, Jake Cowing. We made an already strong group even stronger.”
The 49ers selected Pearsall at No. 31 overall on Thursday night and Cowing at No. 135 in the fourth round on Saturday, adding depth at receiver, but creating further speculation about the team’s plan for it’s two current stars at the position.
San Francisco 49ers Nearing Massive Contract Extension For Brandon Aiyuk According To Report
While Samuel is a jack-of-all-trades that can be used in different ways to keep a defense on its heels, Aiyuk is viewed as the true No. 1 WR who can handle all the routes on the tree and has developed into one of the top wideouts in the NFL.
Aiyuk is seeking a new contract, as he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal on the fifth-year option. The San Francisco 49ers signed Samuel to a contract extension before the 2022 season.
“I’m doing everything in my power to keep our roster together. That’s my goal. And I don’t question that,” Lynch said. “I’ve got so much belief. When you’ve got Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo, those are guys we drafted. They’re guys we take a lot of pride in who they’ve become. We couldn’t be more proud of those guys.”
“Part of my job is to think about the now and to think into the future, as well. … We don’t do that without thinking, ‘Can these guys contribute right away?’ We have a vision for both those guys [Pearsall and Cowing], how they can contribute. They represent a lot of the qualities we like. They were the best players there for us at the time. We’re thrilled to add those guys to an already strong room. We’re ready to roll forward.”
According to a report on Monday from 49ers Sports Talk, John Lynch and company are closing in on an extension with Aiyuk that would happen before training camp and make the San Francisco 49ers WR paid like the top-tier players at his position in the NFL.
The San Francisco #49ers and WR Brandon Aiyuk are “accelerating” contract talks in the coming days, with a goal of a massive long term extension being complete prior to training camp, per source.
The deal should come in between $28-$30M per year avg. #Niners #NFL pic.twitter.com/EnnTJCZUuO
— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) May 6, 2024
“The San Francisco #49ers and WR Brandon Aiyuk are “accelerating” contract talks in the coming days, with a goal of a massive long term extension being complete prior to training camp, per source. The deal should come in between $28-$30M per year avg. #Niners #NFL.”