It wasn’t really a “Deebo Samuel trade rumor” more so than a hypothetical strategy typical for this time of the NFL offseason.was how that team will look into any star receiver entering final year of his rookie deal. Samuel fits that description, for now, so his name was among those listed.That is the countermeasure launched by the 49ers on Monday, with general manager John Lynch confirming so at the NFL owners meetings in South Beach, Fla.
“They’re fantastic players. They are very much at the core of who we are and they are fabulous players, fabulous people and a big part of who we are.” Like Samuel this spring, Buckner was entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he was looking to parlay newfound All Pro status into a supersized contract. The 49ers balked at paying Buckner and dealt him for a first round draft pick from the Indianapolis Colts.
The 49ers have rewarded other homegrown stars with extensions in recent years, and those deals came later in the summer for tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner .