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To resounding applause from San Francisco 49ers fans, general manager John Lynch declared Deebo Samuel would not be traded this offseason at a question and answer session on Wednesday night.
Samuel, 12/1 to be the Offensive Player of the Year, requested a trade ahead of the 2022 draft - although the reasoning behind his stance remains shrouded in mystery to all those not in the know.
The wideout saw his role in the Niners offense morph from being the number one receiver for quarterback Jummy Garoppolo into a hybrid backfield threat that head coach Kyle Shanahan tried to get into spaces that exploited his elusive running style.
It has been suggested that Samuel wants to dial down the number of designed runs the Niners have in their offensive package for him to prolong his career, although the mega-money contracts the top NFL receivers have been commanding this offseason could also be affecting his mindset.
Either way, the 49ers - who listened to trade proposals for the versatile All-Pro wide receiver but weren't tempted by any offers - seem reluctant to be forced into any hasty moves.
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"We all know what we have," Lynch said during a question and answer session at the annual Dwight Clark Legacy Series.
"Some things have transpired. We'll remain consistent that the conversations that we have stay private because I think they deserve to be. I think we'll be fine there, though. And I'm excited to have Deebo a part of us moving forward."
When asked if Samuel, who is scheduled to play out the final year of his current contract for a modest $4 million base salary before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2023, will remain with the team this season, Lynch was unequivocal.
"Well, we haven't traded him. I've used the word 'fool.' I'd be a fool to trade him," added the general manager.
"And, so, yes. He'll be a part of the 49ers."
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