We are efforting to get something done [w/Brandon Aiyuk], Deebo Samuel is a….
The 49ers head coach and general manager are committed to keeping the band together
John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are still trying to hold onto Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Well, for 2024 anyways.
The San Francisco 49ers have finished their first day of the 2024 NFL Draft. They used their first pick on Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. The pick naturally has questions about the wide receiver room. They have Deebo Samuel locked down on a huge deal, are negotiating with Brandon Aiyuk for a long-term extension, and have tendered Jauan Jennings.
Picking a wide receiver in the first round when you have those three names can lead to trade speculation. After the Pearsall pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter hinted the 49ers were listening to offers for all three wide receivers.
Following the draft, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan held their Day 1 press conference to address some of the growing speculation. Lynch once again stated they plan on keeping the group together:
We’re continuing to have positive talks with BA, we are really efforting [sic] to get something done. We are exciting about continuing down that path and Brandon being a part of this team. Deebo is a part of this team and a big part of this team. We feel great about that group and we feel we just made it better with a good addition that compliments the group real well.
Lynch went on to say, “You never close the door on a trade.” He then reiterated he liked the wide receiver group with their new first round pick. That does leave Jauan Jennings up in the air but from the looks of it, the 49ers are going to try and make this work, for 2024 anyways.
This story isn’t going to conclude now until the 2nd round comes to a close, most likely. If the 49ers want any compensation, it’s going to need to come in the form of Day 2 selections which doesn’t feel like a fair deal for either Aiyuk or Samuel.
Stay tuned. We all thought this madness would end in the first round, but it’s the 49ers and there’s plenty of time for craziness.
The Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors heated up even more after the San Francisco 49ers took a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night, but it might be another star player who ends up being dealt.
The 49ers selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick in the draft. With Aiyuk seeking a new contract, there was immediate speculation that San Francisco’s decision to draft Pearsall could signal the end of Aiyuk’s tenure with the team.
According to Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle, rival teams have been given the impression that the 49ers are more likely to trade their other star wide receiver, Deebo Samuel.
Samuel has two years remaining on the 3-year, $73.5 million extension he signed with the Niners prior to the 2022 season. Aiyuk is entering the final season of his rookie deal and will make roughly $14 million after San Francisco exercised his fifth-year option.
A report before the draft claimed the 49ers were exploring the possibility of trading Aiyuk or Samuel in order to move up in the first round. No trade materialized, so they stuck with their pick and took Pearsall. If nothing else, the dynamic playmaker gives them a great deal of flexibility.
The 49ers could now trade either Aiyuk or Samuel. They could also bring Pearsall along slowly, keep all three in 2024, and move on from Aiyuk or Samuel next offseason.
For what it’s worth, Aiyuk played with Pearsall at Arizona State. Aiyuk texted 49ers general manager and head coach Kyle Shanahan on Thursday to compliment them on the Pearsall pick.
