Earlier today, Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reported that the San Francisco 49ers put a baseline offer of just under $19 million annually on the table for wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Some, like Samuel's camp, may find such an offer insulting.
Damon Bruce of 95.7 The Game insists the situation is worse than that, saying that the 49ers have yet to make an offer to Samuel and his agent—at all. Now, it's worth noting that there is a lot of speculation swirling around the NFL media landscape right now, so it is difficult to determine what might be true and what is flat-out false. As Samuel recently said, only he, his agent, and the 49ers know the truth, and none of them are discussing the situation at length.
"Even though there are stories to the contrary about an opening position the Niners put in front of Deebo Samuel, I have it from someone very close [to the situation] that the 49ers have yet to put an offer on the table," Bruce said on-air Thursday. "And this isn't a situation where they didn't like an opening offer, thought that they were low-balled and insulted by that. The insult was basically in the Niners saying, 'We'll give you an extension when we're good and ready, and you are our player until we say otherwise.'"
If accurate ... ouch. That would certainly cause problems.
"Apparently there is a little disrespectful communication as far as Camp Deebo is concerned," Bruce continued. "But as the Niners say, they're willing to pay a price. They have yet to tell Deebo Samuel what that price is. I am reporting to you [that] sources close to the negotiation say that the Niners have yet to even make an opening offer."
Bruce added, "I would love to challenge Matt Maiocco, Matt Barrows, anyone who is close enough to get to the bottom of this answer to prove me wrong. ... Show me the evidence that the Niners have put an offer on the table because today I was told there wasn't one."
Maybe the 49ers will shed some light on the situation on Monday when the team is scheduled to hold its annual pre-draft media session. Last year, that featured both general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. Of course, it's unlikely the team tips their hand and reveals too much about the situation with the draft only a few days after.
You can listen to Bruce's comments below.
