Deebo Samuel to attend 49ers camp, won't hold out after requesting trade
Deebo Samuel is back with the 49ers after an offseason filled with speculation, trade rumors and social media posts.
The receiver is expected to attend the team's mandatory minicamp today, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. If he had decided to skip one, two or all three days of the mandatory workouts, the 49ers could have fined Samuel between $14,775-$88,650.
Samuel had been a hot offseason topic after he scrubbed any remnants of the 49ers from his Instagram account before he requested a trade and a new contract in April. The 49ers were reportedly willing to pay their star wideout, but it sounded like Samuel wanted a change of scenery after he didn't enjoy his hybrid reciever/running back role during the 2021 season.
Speculation about Samuel's future swirled, with reports that teams like the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers were interested in trading for him, but nothing materialized even on draft night at the end of April. All the while, fellow receivers like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown were all traded and handed large contract extensions.
The 49ers have been adamant all offseason they could come to a resolution with Samuel following his desire to leave San Francisco, though. General manager John Lynch said he would be "a fool to trade him" and that "Deebo will be a part of the 49ers this season." Coach Kyle Shanahan added he felt "stronger" about Samuel sticking around as the team headed into offseason workout activities. Even 49ers tight end George Kittle told Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson on the "You Pod to Win the Game" podcast that his "best guess" was that Samuel would be with the 49ers in 2022.
For now, Samuel is still on the team. But his contract situation remains unresolved. Samuel is heading into the final year of his rookie contract where he'll make less than $4 million in base salary and another $950,000 in roster and workout bonuses, per Over the Cap. Those numbers pale in comparison to his on-field production in 2021 where Samuel led the NFL with 18.2 yards per reception and his 1,845 all-purpose yards ranked third in the league.
