So much for the 49ers Webzone staff being busy on the first night of the 2022 NFL Draft. Unless the San Francisco 49ers give in to wide receiver Deebo Samuel's trade demands, the team's first selection might remain in the second round—at No. 61 overall.
General manager John Lynch, speaking with reporters on Monday afternoon during his mandatory pre-draft press conference, indicated there are no plans for the 49ers to trade back into the first round. The team lacks a first-round pick until 2024 after dealing this and next year's first-rounders as part of the package to move up to draft quarterback Trey Lance last year.
While most general managers won't reveal too much about their draft strategies, especially just days away from the annual event, they'll often give off an "anything is possible" vibe. That could mean trading up, down, or staying put.
The 49ers GM indicated that his team might not be considering the first option. The latter two remain on the table, though.
"Yeah, because we're so far back, I think when you start talking about a draft that the volume of it is probably the strength, there's a good thought just to stay put and even go back and acquire more picks," Lynch said. "But then I think you also have to take into account, when you look at our roster, we're already at 76, 77, 78 people, right around there, in terms of what we have right now. There's not a ton of holes, as we see it, [or] needs. And so that gives you the flexibility to go up when you really like a player. And so that's something we haven't hesitated to do in the past, and I think it's going to be different."
Obviously, Lynch isn't dismissing the possibility that the 49ers could end up with a day-one pick. A trade of one of the team's star players—like Samuel—could net them at least that. Although, the general manager shared that he can't imagine moving on from a player as talented as Samuel, the team's do-it-all offensive weapon. He certainly gives the impression that he doesn't expect to be very busy on Thursday night.
"It's going to be a little boring on day one," Lynch continued. "We're not used to that. We're used to having some action, and we'll see. That might happen again. But, otherwise, we'll kind of sit through and continue to work so that when we get to our pick, whenever that is, we're ready to make it the best move for the 49ers."
While San Francisco lacks a first-round pick, it owns nine total selections, including three on day two of the draft.