The San Francisco 49ers just made a big decision on their star wide receiver. On Monday, the 49ers signed Deebo Samuel to a three-year contract extension. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the contract is worth a maximum value of $73.5 million and includes $58.1 million in guarantees. This comes a few months after Samuel reportedly requested a trade from the 49ers.ย
“We are overjoyed to have come together with Deebo to keep him with the 49ers for years to come,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said in a statement. “Deebo has the rare ability to not only play at a unique level but to inspire his teammates with the way he plays. He is a special player that embodies ‘will meeting skill.’ We’re proud to move forward with him as an integral leader and foundational piece of our team.” ย
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During the NFL Draft in April, the 49ers received trade offers on Samuel, who was set to become a free agent after the 2022 season. Despite asking to be traded, Samuel did attend the team’s mandatory minicamp and June and reported to training camp on time last week. When speaking to reporters last Tuesday, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan was confident a deal would get done soon.ย
“We’ve had really productive and substantive talks,” Shanahan said. “I don’t want to get everyone all excited that something is imminent because we’re not there yet, but really hopeful that in the near future we’ll be able to announce something that is exciting for everyone involved. Deebo is here today and we’re excited about moving forward with him as part of this team.” ย
Samuel was selected in the second round by the 49ers in the 2019 NFL Draft. He has played in 38 games with 31 starts and recorded 167 receptions for 2,598 yards and 10 touchdowns. The South Carolina alum has also tallied 550 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. Samuel had a breakout season in 2021, catching 77 passes for 1,405 yards and five scores. He was also dangerous on the ground, rushing for 365 yards and eight touchdowns on 59 carries. His production in 2021 led to him being selected to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro First Team.ย
