NFL rumors: Deshaun Watson prefers trade to Jets, Dolphins over 49ers

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch appears to have moved beyond the trade speculations that dominated headlines before and during the 2024 NFL Draft. He's now focused on the upcoming 2024 season and preparing his roster for a Super Bowl run. This roster is expected to include wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel unless there are significant developments. After coming close to winning the Super Bowl last season but falling short in an overtime battle with the Kansas City Chiefs, Lynch recognizes the opportunity his team has to make another run with its core group. "I'm doing everything in my power to keep our roster together and that's my goal," Lynch said Thursday on ESPN's "Pat McAfee Show." "And I don't question that. I've got so much

When John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan assumed the roster-building responsibilities for the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, the team was still in the process of defining its culture. The new general manager and head coach had a clear vision of what that culture would look like, building a team with players and coaches who execute their roles selflessly. This meant physical play on both offense and defense, maximum effort, and even thinking outside the box with some position groups. This commitment to a well-rounded approach is evident in the roles expected of the 49ers' wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs. In addition to their primary duties, all players in these positions must contribute to the blocking effort, whether downfield or in the

The most likely scenario is that both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel will be on the San Francisco 49ers roster come Week 1. Unless there are unforeseen financial constraints, trading either player doesn't seem sensible with the 2024 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror. The 49ers wouldn't easily replace either wide receiver's value at this point unless another team makes an enticing offer involving a player and a draft pick. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently addressed fan questions, including whether Samuel might be traded and, if so, to which team. As he recently stated during an appearance on "The Herd," Breer noted that he initially leaned towards Aiyuk being the likelier

While many were surprised to hear wide receiver Ricky Pearsall's name called during the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, NFL.com's deputy editor, Gennaro Filice, wasn't among them. Filice handed out his draft grades for the NFC West, and while the San Francisco 49ers earned the lowest marks of the group, it was still a respectable "B-" mark. "The first-round selection of Ricky Pearsall took many by surprise, but not this keyboard jockey!" Filice wrote. "I had the Florida wideout coming off the board in Round 1 in my final