It's officially training camp season as several teams had players report to training camp today.
However, the San Francisco 49ers don't begin their training camp until July 26th, when both rookies and veterans report for the first offseason session with pads on.
Before training camp begins, there are still several uncertainties with the 49ers, with the primary concern being Deebo Samuel's contract extension.
With training camp approaching, many have shared their predictions for when Samuel will sign his extension, many of which occur after training camp begins.
I believe that the 49ers should complete the task as soon as possible, and even agree to terms with their star receiver before the beginning of training camp for several reasons.
Trey Lance
The biggest storyline of the offseason for the 49ers hasn't been Deebo Samuel's trade request/extension talks. It hasn't even been the confusion that has been the Jimmy Garoppolo saga.
Instead, it's been the ascension of second-year quarterback Trey Lance, taking all of the first-team reps this offseason after the 49ers traded three first-round picks to trade up for him in the 2021 NFL Draft.
With Garoppolo recovering from shoulder surgery in March, Lance has received all the action during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp as he settles in with a revamped offensive line and stronger supporting cast.
Now, where does Deebo Samuel fit into this mix?
Samuel was arguably the most important 49er in 2021, catching 77 passes for 1405 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 365 yards and eight touchdowns on 59 carries, en route to All-Pro honors.
You can even make the argument that Samuel carried the 49ers to some of their victories during the 2021 season, producing just enough offense on his own for San Francisco to win.
In 2022, Samuel will look to build off his stellar 2021 season, and the first step in doing so is developing a rapport with his new quarterback, which begins during training camp.
It's in the best interests of both parties: Samuel gets familiar with Trey Lance for the maximum amount of time in camp, while the 49ers don't have an anchor around their neck as they prepare to chase their sixth Lombardi Trophy.
Wide Receiver Market
Coming into the offseason, there were five high-caliber receivers that were looking for massive extensions: Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Terry McLaurin, and Diontae Johnson.
Now, where does Deebo Samuel fit into the mix?
There have also been several other high-end receiver deals this offseason, with Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, D.J. Moore, Cooper Kupp, Stefon Diggs, Chris Godwin, and Mike Williams all securing a new contract from their current teams.
However, the two most important deals when monitoring a Deebo Samuel extension are the two fourth-year receiver deals that have already been signed because those players are in the same situation as the 49ers superstar—going into the last year of their rookie deal.
With a clear baseline established for a Samuel extension, the deal should be relatively straightforward because the team does not need to "start from scratch."
The 49ers should want to get a deal done prior to training camp in order to stay ahead of the Seahawks and Steelers (who are negotiating with Metcalf and Johnson respectively), and Samuel will want to get a deal done before next stepping on the field.
Of course, Samuel could wait for the potential Metcalf and Johnson dominoes to fall in exchange for a slightly better contract.
However, he will likely end up with a better overall deal than Brown and McLaurin, and won't have the lingering thoughts of a contract on his mind as he participates in training camp.
Regardless, the 49ers should make it their biggest priority to reach an extension with Samuel prior to training camp, similar to how they did with Fred Warner, who reached his extension just days before training camp last year on July 21st.
Samuel did post on Instagram that he recently landed in San Francisco, meaning a deal could be finalized within the next few days, especially with training camp around the corner.
- Rohan Chakravarthi
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Written by:Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
