Deebo Samuel on Ricky Pearsall pick: 'I know what’s going on'

It doesn't sound as if Deebo Samuel is overly thrilled about the 49ers drafting a wide receiver in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.

Wide receiver has been the most controversial position for the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, starting with challenging contract extension talks with Brandon Aiyuk that have seemingly gone nowhere and even led to trade speculation up to the beginning of the 2024 NFL Draft.

But, with one round of the draft in the books, Aiyuk wasn't moved. Instead, the Niners used their first pick on Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, which was quite a surprise given San Francisco's other needs.

Speculation said the 49ers would have accepted nothing short of a first-round pick for Aiyuk, but other rumors pointed at the Niners possibly trading Aiyuk's teammate, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, especially in the wake of the Pearsall trade.

With each passing pick in Rounds 2 and 3, the likelihood of Samuel being traded diminishes. Yet a cap-stressed San Francisco squad could afford the additional cap space, and moving Samuel could save more than $22 million if executed after June 1, according to Over the Cap.

By that logic, an offseason Samuel trade is still very much a possibility.

Deebo Samuel hints at not being happy with 49ers picking Ricky Pearsall

There's little doubting the 49ers' selection of Pearsall signals the eventual end of the Aiyuk-Samuel tandem. Perhaps not this year, but soon.

Assuming the Niners want to get an extension done with Aiyuk, Samuel's current contract turns into a bit of an outlier, one San Francisco might like to move.

"I know what’s going on," Samuel told The Athletic's Dianna Russini. "But it is what it is. I’m good staying with them. I’m chilling."

It doesn't exactly sound like Samuel is happy about the 49ers' move.

Of course, if no trade happens between now and the start of training camp, it's all but assured the Niners will roll out in 2024 with Samuel, Aiyuk, Pearsall and fellow wideout Jauan Jennings to comprise one of the deepest receiver rooms in the NFL.

It won't stay that way for long, though.

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