San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch made it clear this week that the team has no intention of trading Deebo Samuel. But if the star wide receiver leaves them no choice, the Niners are clearly going to expect a massive haul in return.
One NFL general manager told Albert Breer of The MMQB that he believes the 49ers would ask for two-first round picks in any potential trade involving Samuel. San Francisco traded away a pair of first-round picks last year in order to move up for Trey Lance, so the GM thinks Lynch would try to recoup those should Samuel force his hand.
That meshes with a previous report that claimed the Niners will want even more for Samuel than the Miami Dolphins gave up for Tyreek Hill. Miami sent five draft picks total to the Kansas City Chiefs in that deal, including a first- and second-round pick in this year’s draft.
Samuel asked for a trade several weeks ago. It does not seem like the situation has gotten ugly, but Samuel could make life difficult on the 49ers if they do not accommodate the request. A video that went viral over the weekend indicated that he is not going to change his mind.
You can understand why the Niners do not want to part with Samuel. The receiver was arguably the most important piece of their offense last season. He caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and rushed 59 times for 365 yards. He also scored 14 total touchdowns and established himself as one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL.
More must-reads: