As you may know by now, Deebo Samuel has joined the long list of athletes who wipe their teams off their social media profiles to force them into paying him.
And, while some around the NFL believe there's nothing to be concerned about, San Francisco 49ers fans would definitely like to get this out of the way before the start of training camp.
Samuel Wants $ 25 Million Per Year
Samuel reportedly wants to get paid as one of the league's top-tier wideouts, which would be hard to argue after such an impressive season:
"We’re told that Samuel, who is slated to make just under $ 4 million this season, will be looking for a contract in the range of about $ 25 million per year. Will that contract come from a team other than the 49ers?" reported Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network.Niners Are Likely To Extend Him
The Niners are likely to engage in negotiations with him and try to reach an extension, especially if they can get Jimmy Garoppolo's big contract out of their books. As for meeting his number, that remains to be seen:
"The belief in league circles as of April 12 is the Niners will likely extend Deebo’s contract rather than trade him. If Jimmy Garoppolo is traded from the team as expected, San Francisco would save about $ 25.5 million in salary and won’t have a high-priced quarterback on the payroll," Pauline added.Health Could Be A Concern
The Niners are reportedly hesitant to pay Samuel what he wants. They're concerned about his durability, considering his high usage and how injury-prone he was early in his career:
"The 49ers might have some reservations about Samuel’s ability to stay healthy if he’s catching four passes per game and running it seven times," Kyle Madson of NinersWire wrote. "He dealt with injuries in 2020 that limited him to only seven games, and San Francisco will have to figure out whether they can continue utilizing him as a runner as often as they do while also ensuring he’s staying on the field and involved in the passing game."He's Worth Every Penny
But even if the Niners are wary about making such a big financial commitment to a player with an absurd usage rate, it's not like they can afford to let him go, especially not at this time.
Trey Lance is set to take over as the starting QB and he'll need Samuel's dynamic two-way skill set to smooth his transition to the NFL. Also, with former OC Mike McDaniel gone, their offense will most likely run through Samuel again until Lance proves that he can lead the way.
]]>The Inquisitr
