49ers rumors: Deebo Samuel contract situation nowhere close to resolved

While the relationship between the 49ers and All-Pro Deebo Samuel appears to have improved slightly, the two parties still reportedly remain far apart on a new deal.

The San Francisco 49ers’ prospects for keeping All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel on the roster in 2022 already cleared two massive hurdles this offseason.

First, the Niners opted not to give into Samuel’s prior trade request during the 2022 NFL Draft, and then he subsequently reported to mandatory minicamp, avoiding any fans San Francisco could have levied against him had he been absent.

Samuel didn’t partake in on-field activities, of course, but his being there was nevertheless a good sign moving forward.

And while head coach Kyle Shanahan later told reporters the relationship with the star receiver has “always been alright,” the latest buzz between Samuel and the 49ers doesn’t appear to have progressed much.

According to NFL insider Jeff Darlington (h/t NBC Sports Bay Area), who originally reported Samuel’s trade request, the two sides remain at a stalemate:

"He doesn’t have the contract. He has not necessarily lifted his desire to be traded at this point. It’s still murky there. I know there was optimism from 49ers camp based on the fact that he reported to mandatory minicamp. I would honestly remove that from the equation here. Whether he reports or not will play a role in his relationship with the 49ers. It definitely went sideways, I can tell you that."

According to Darlington, Samuel attending minicamp doesn’t play a role moving forward. That’s potentially concerning.

Will Deebo Samuel skip 49ers training camp?

The Niners didn’t have to fine Samuel if he failed to attend mandatory minicamp. They could have, but it wasn’t a requirement.

However, should Samuel opt not to attend training camp, he could receive mandatory team fines of $40,000 per day missed, as CBS Sports’ Joel Corry pointed out. And unlike mandatory minicamp fines, training camp fines aren’t optional. They’re required by the current collective bargaining agreement.

Read More: How much will Deebo Samuel be fined if he skips training camp?

Of course, Samuel could still physically attend training camp, thereby avoiding fines, but he might opt to not participate in team drills. That’s always a possibility as he awaits a new extension.

What choices do 49ers have with Deebo Samuel?

Trading Samuel between now and Week 1 seems like the slimmest of possibilities, especially because any non-player return via trade wouldn’t help Shanahan and San Francisco this season at all.

However, should one of those can’t-refuse trades somehow surface (and it would be a massive one), the 49ers could shockingly oblige and move Samuel.

That doesn’t seem likely, though, which leaves two other feasible options here.

The first, and probably the most realistic, would be for the Niners to offer up that extension, perhaps giving Samuel close to $25 million annually on a new deal with a hefty chunk of it guaranteed. That’d likely help alleviate any of the standoff issues that emanated earlier this offseason, whatever those were.

The second, however, is the possibility San Francisco opts to do nothing, essentially forcing Samuel to play out the final year of his rookie contract while seeing if he can replicate last year’s All-Pro efforts while staying fully healthy. And then, the franchise tag could potentially be in play for both 2023 and 2024.

Although that final option comes at significant risk of completely alienating Samuel, who’d want to get out from under the 49ers’ grasp at the soonest possible opportunity.

Do the Niners want a disgruntled Samuel on the roster in 2023? Probably not.

Fortunately, San Francisco does have a history of dishing out hefty extensions to key players at or around the beginning of training camp, tight end George Kittle in 2020 and linebacker Fred Warner in 2021.

Hopefully, so all this can be put to rest, Samuel is next in line.