Seattle Seahawks star receiver receiver D.K. Metcalf finally received his long-term contract extension, earning a three-year, $72 million deal with $58.2 million guaranteed, as well as a $30 million signing bonus, which was the largest ever for a wide receiver in NFL history.
Now comes San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel's contract extension, as the two sides have been continuously in talks over the past few weeks according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
In a slew of major deals for wide receivers this offseason, there are three specific cases that could be the defining factor in Samuel's contract negotiations: Philadelphia Eagles wideout A.J. Brown, Washington Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin, and now Seattle Seahawks wideout D.K. Metcalf.
Here are the contract details of all three receivers:
A.J Brown: four years, $100 million, $57 million guaranteed, $23.2 million signing bonus, and $40 million guaranteed at signing.
Terry McLaurin: three years, $71 million, $53.2 million guaranteed, $28 million signing bonus, and $34.6 million guaranteed at signing.
D.K. Metcalf: three years, $72 million, $58.2 million guaranteed, $30 million signing bonus, and $31 million guaranteed at signing.
In comparison to McLaurin, you can see that Metcalf got a slight increase in almost every important metric for wide receivers: average annual value, money guaranteed, and signing bonus. I expect the same with Deebo Samuel now that these three deals are finalized.
An interesting theme with the four second round wide receivers has been the lack of a five-year extension. With wide receiver not currently considered a "premium" position due to the continual level of talent coming out of the NFL Draft, and with a new T.V. deal kicking in starting in 2023 that should cause the salary cap to skyrocket, it appears players want to hit the open market sooner rather than later.
I expect a three-year extension for Deebo Samuel as the South Carolina product is already 26 years old, the oldest of the aforementioned receivers, meaning that the 49ers star would hit the open market once again in his age-29 season, potentially setting him up for another massive deal.
Here's my projection for a Deebo Samuel contract: three years, $75-78 million, $65-70 million guaranteed, $25-31 million signing bonus, and $43-48 million guaranteed at signing (which would include his signing bonus, 2022 salary, and 2023 salary).