49ers general manager John Lynch faced a bunch of questions Monday regarding Deebo Samuel, whose trade request went public last week, leading to widespread speculation over whether San Francisco will deal the talented receiver before the 2022 NFL season.
Lynch declined to go into the specifics of Samuel's request or the 49ers' plans, other than to downplay the likelihood of San Francisco striking a trade involving the 2021 All-Pro.
"I can't ever imagine wanting to move on from Deebo," Lynch told reporters during a news conference Monday ahead of this week's NFL draft. "You put yourself through the exercises of, even though we don't have a first-round pick, you have to be thorough in this process and prepare for everything and so you go through and do that. He's just too good of a player. You think of 2019, the 36th pick, to come up with someone like Deebo, who, to me, has just been a game-changing player for our franchise.
"I've told Deebo this, I think he's the perfect illustration -- Herm Edwards used to talk about when will meets skill, you've got the opportunity to be special. And I think Deebo probably embodies that as much as anyone. He's got tremendous will, he's a very talented player. I think by virtue of the way that he plays, it's inspiring. And so, to me, that entails leadership -- do you make people around you better? He checks that box. He's a great teammate. I think of things like prior to games, I get out there and he's always throwing the ball with the fans. I think he's been a great member of our community. So we've got nothing but love for him and nothing but appreciation for what he's brought. But you just don't let guys like that walk. I can't envision a scenario where we would (move on)."
Samuel is entering the final year of his contract with the 49ers, adding another layer of intrigue to the situation. San Francisco presumably would love to keep Samuel, who's evolved into one of the NFL's top all-around offensive playmakers, but the 26-year-old could force the organization's hand.
"It doesn't bother me," Lynch said. "We live in a different world where there's a number of ways to express yourself, and it's their right to do that. We pride ourselves on our communication with our players, and this case is no different, and I'm confident we can find the solutions to work through whatever's going on."
It's unclear why exactly Samuel wants out of the Bay Area. Maybe it's the contractual uncertainty beyond this season, at a time when other elite receivers are being paying handsomely on the open market. Maybe it's his usage in San Francisco's offense, where the Niners lean heavily on him as a pass-catcher and a runner. Or maybe it's something totally off the radar.
Whatever the case, Lynch and the 49ers will do their due diligence. But it sounds like smoothing things over with Samuel remains a priority, with a trade perhaps happening only if they're blown away by an offer.
"We've been consistent since we've been here that we'd listen on just about anyone. That's something we'll always do," Lynch said. "But like I said, I just can't ever imagine moving on from Deebo. He's been such a great player for us. He means so much for this franchise. I've got nothing but love for the guy."
Samuel is coming off a 2021 season in which he totaled 77 catches for 1,405 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns while adding 365 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs.
