It could be just a matter of time before the 49ers and Deebo Samuel work out a fair contract extension, but Steve Young believes the star wide receiver hasn’t done himself any favors throughout the process.
The former San Francisco quarterback went on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Monday and gave his take on the team’s seemingly never-ending Samuel saga, which began with the wideout scrubbing all signs of the 49ers from his social media accounts and ultimately ended up with a reported trade request.
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SIGN UP HERE “Deebo did himself a bit of a disservice [with the] whispers around how he felt about this whole situation,” Young told Eisen. “I just think that Deebo … if you don’t want to be here, say it, why, what [you’re] doing or not.”
Ever since news of Samuel’s trade request broke, rumors swirled when it came to why the 49ers’ “wide back” wanted out of the Bay. Was it his usage? The money? A disdain for California?
The answer was never cleared up by Samuel, who recently re-followed the 49ers on Instagram. With that latest development and the fact that the 49ers didn’t move Samuel during the 2022 NFL Draft, things seem to be looking up when it comes to a reconciliation between the two parties.
Now, all eyes are on the start of mandatory minicamp on June 14 in Santa Clara and whether or not Samuel will attend. Once training camp begins in late July, the 49ers will look to work out a contract for their WR1.
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And in Young’s eyes, it’s imperative that San Francisco retain Samuel for years to come -- especially as second-year quarterback Trey Lance prepares to take over under center.
“I can’t think of a more valuable player in the league if you had to choose somebody to come play for the 49ers,” Young said. “I think the No. 1 most valuable player you could choose is Deebo, if he’s focused and in shape … if Deebo is not focused and not in shape, then that’s another story.
“But to me, getting Deebo in shape and focused on the 49ers with Trey Lance is vital, to say the least.”
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The 49ers Faithful and front office alike are certainly waiting with bated breath to see if Samuel shows up to camp, and then if a contract extension can be agreed upon.
And as a former quarterback himself, Young knows just how important that can be for a budding Lance.