San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel seems to know where teammate and fellow All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will play this season.
Last month, Aiyuk requested a trade from the 49ers following unproductive discussions on a new contract. Multiple reports have stated that the 49ers spoke to the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots about a deal for Aiyuk, but Deebo Samuel’s recent comments suggest that there won’t be a trade after all.
During an appearance on Kay Adams’ “Up & Adams” program, Samuel was asked if the 49ers can win a Super Bowl without the 26-year-old Aiyuk. Samuel, however, confidently stated that his superstar teammate isn’t going anywhere.
“I think BA’s gonna be a part of this team, so I mean, we don’t have to worry about that,” Samuel told Adams.
Earlier this week, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Steelers were “in a good place” to acquire and extend Aiyuk. Rapoport added that the 49ers have also submitted “a long-term” offer to the 2020 first-round pick.
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It’s an awfully familiar situation for 49ers GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. Two years ago, Deebo Samuel requested a trade after initial contract extension talks, but he walked back on it and agreed to a three-year deal.
Last season, Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. He has crossed the 70-catch and 1,000-yard marks in each of the last two seasons.
49ers Must Keep Deebo Samuel & Brandon Aiyuk Together
The 49ers reached the Super Bowl last season thanks to the “big four” offensive weapons in Aiyuk, Samuel, tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey. So it’s imperative for the 49ers to find a way to keep this core together in their bid for another Super Bowl.
With opposing defenses largely focused on Kittle and McCaffrey, the field opens for Samuel and Aiyuk to overwhelm opposing defenses with their game-breaking speed and route-running skills. As such, San Fran is better off paying Aiyuk what he’s worth instead of trading him for draft picks, which are essentially lottery tickets.
