San Francisco 49ers fans will be on the edge of their seats tonight as the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft kicks off. Will wide receiver Deebo Samuel remain on the roster? Or will the team trade their valuable player to acquire a first-round pick? Otherwise, the 49ers will wait until Friday to make their first selection—No. 61 overall.
The New York Jets remain the front-runners to acquire Samuel, should the 49ers trade their do-it-all receiver. With the draft just hours away, Rich Cimini, who covers the Jets for ESPN, reports that a potential trade to the Jets isn't dead yet.
What I'm hearing: Deebo Samuel/Jets ain't dead yet. This sets up the possibility of the ultimate draft-night drama. Quite possible both teams waiting to see what's available at 10 before pulling trigger. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) April 28, 2022
The report certainly aligns with the chatter coming out of Las Vegas.
If Samuel remains on the roster past tonight, he is unlikely to be going anywhere. The 49ers aren't likely to trade him for day two or three picks. They probably won't move him for a 2023 pick without knowing how high that selection will be, either. The draft slots are determined by the outcome of the upcoming season.
On Monday, general manager John Lynch expressed that the 49ers would like to retain Samuel. However, if the team can't envision reconciling with their disgruntled star player, it may choose to move on and capitalize while his value is at its highest.
"I can't ever imagine wanting to move on from Deebo," Lynch said. "... We've got nothing but love for him and nothing but appreciation for what he's bought, but you just don't let guys like that walk. I can't envision a scenario where we would."