Report: Deebo Samuel ‘assured by his bosses’ that he won’t be dealt during the draft

The question we should be asking is why is this being reported 24 hours before the draft?

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been the center of attention for storylines this offseason. We’re not far removed from his teammate Deebo Samuel going through an offseason where he went through many similar talking points.

The NFL Draft is a little over 24 hours away. The air is thick with rumors about Aiyuk, a situation that was bound to arise given his current contract status. The question on everyone’s mind: will Aiyuk remain a 49er after the first round? General manager John Lynch, in a bid to quell the speculation, believes so.

However, as we know, teams can make unexpected moves when they’re on the clock. Consider this scenario: what if a team like New England, Washington, or the Giants were to offer their early second-rounder this year and next year for Aiyuk? If his demands are deemed too high, it’s a deal that might just be on the table.

According to Michael Silver from the San Francisco 49ers, the team isn’t considering moving Deebo during the draft:

Per Over the Cap, the 49ers would have over $21 million in dead money if they traded Samuel pre-June 1. If he has an injury-riddled season in 2024 and the team wants to move on from Deebo after the season, they’d end up saving $17.2 million in cap space. But they don’t have to cross that bridge until it happens. The Niners are at their best when Deebo is on the field. They’re a better team with Samuel in 2024.

Why is this report coming out now? That’s the question we should be asking. Was Deebo being shopped previously? That’s the only plausible reason for Silver to come out and say the former All-Pro isn’t going to be traded 24 hours before the NFL Draft, especially amid all the Aiyuk talk.