After a week of rumors revolving around the interest in San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel this week, general manager John Lynch reiterated his firm intentions that both Samuel and star defensive end Nick Bosa would receive extensions and remain 49ers for the foreseeable future.
Speaking at the NFL's annual league meeting, Lynch said there's been "good communication" with both players' camps, continuing that there's "a plan for each of those guys," as he stated earlier in the offseason following the season.
"[Bosa and Samuel] are gonna be a part of us for a long, long time," Lynch said.
On contract extensions for #49ers WR Deebo Samuel and DE Nick Bosa, GM John Lynch said there's been "good communication" with the reps for both and there's "a plan for each of those guys." Lynch reiterates "those guys are gonna be a part of us for a long, long time."
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) March 28, 2022
Lynch's comments come following two massive wide receiver trades in the past few weeks, with former Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams being sent to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for two draft picks, and former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill being sent to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a package of five draft picks.
Both receivers garnered long-term extensions following their trades, with Adams earning a five-year, $140 million contract that essentially boils down to a three-year, $67.5 million deal with $65 million guaranteed, and Hill earning a four-year, $120 million extension to his current deal that essentially boils down to a four-year, $95.2 million contract with $72.2 million guaranteed.
Deebo Samuel's new deal figures to be in the range of those extensions, which would lock up an offensive cornerstone with rookie quarterback Trey Lance under center.
Bosa, on the other hand, is expected to fetch a market-altering extension that could potentially be in the range of $30 million per year, which would be the most for a defensive player in NFL history.
However, there is currently some uncertainty with Jimmy Garoppolo's $27.5 million contract still on the books for 2022, leaving questions about the necessary cap space to make both deals work.
Lynch spoke honestly, admitting that Garoppolo was not a part of the plan originally, but that the team has adapted to their circumstances and will make the deals work, whether the Garoppolo contract is on the books or not.
"You guys have known me to always speak the truth with you," Lynch said via the San Francisco Chronicle. "And we value strength at that position. To be completely forthright, though, when you make a deal of that magnitude, most of our options did not include Jimmy on our books (in 2022). On our team. But you always have to adapt and a series of events happened that it didn't work out. But that's not a bad thing, though. We feel positive with it. And we'll make it work."
The 49ers will have competition regarding Samuel's potential contract extension, as fellow third-year receivers A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, and Terry McLaurin are all in the market for a long-term deal. Coincidentally, they're all represented by the same agent as well.