Deebo Samuel obviously wants to cash in while his stock is high. And thanks to last season's breakout performance, that stock price has skyrocketed. Now, are the San Francisco 49ers willing to financially commit to the young wide receiver after just one season of breaking past the 1,000-receiving-yard barrier?
In 2021, Samuel proved to be much more than a wide receiver, though. His 1,770 total yards and 14 total touchdowns included 365 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, the latter being an NFL record for a wide receiver. Oh, and he also had a passing touchdown.
To call Samuel just a wide receiver would be a disservice. He often lined up in the backfield as a running back, willing and able to take on the punishing blows from defensive linemen and linebackers. That's part of what makes Samuel's contract negotiations so complicated.
"I think the Niners are going to be in a quandary if Deebo Samuel insists on getting paid top of market, and getting paid now," wrote Peter King in his latest Football Morning in America column. "They might not be able to do that. Yes, I saw what he did over the last half of this season—Samuel was the MVP of a Final Four team in the playoffs. But his average receiving season over the past two years (55 catches, 898 yards) is dwarfed, for instance, by Diggs' average over the past two years (115 catches, 1,380 yards).
"Even when adding in the run-game impact, the stats are iffy. But Samuel has to be thinking: If they're going to ask me to take the beating a running back takes, while asking me to be the deep threat for a playoff team, that's something you don't measure in stats. Dealing with Samuel is going to test the will and negotiating skill of GM John Lynch."
Samuel has removed his Instagram profile picture that once showed him in his 49ers uniform. He also removed all of his game-day photos from the past three seasons. Most view this as a negotiating tactic from Samuel and his agent. It's doubtful that Samuel's social media actions impact the negotiations. However, it has succeeded in creating a whole lot of online chatter.
Samuel continues to wait after watching many of his wide receiver peers earn massive contracts this offseason. In March, Lynch admitted that re-signing both Samuel and defensive end Nick Bosa, also eligible for an extension, would be a challenge.
"But I do know this: Those guys are, in my mind, no absolutes, but those guys are going to be 49ers. They're foundational to what we do. On the field, their play is special. Off the field, in their own way, they've each become really big-time leaders for our team. They make their teammates better, and we realize all that value."