Michael Irvin hints Jimmy Garoppolo held Deebo Samuel back

San Francisco 49ers offensive weapon Deebo Samuel isn't a typical NFL wide receiver. Sure, Samuel recorded 1,405 receiving yards during the 2021 season catching passes mostly thrown by veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but he also contributed 365 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns during the campaign and then has watched targets like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs get paid in huge ways this offseason. 

Thus, it's understandable Samuel doesn't want to risk injury playing on the final year of his rookie contract unless he has some financial guarantees for the future, perhaps to the tune of "about $25 million per year." 

According to David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone, Hall of Famer and Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin explained during a recent edition of "The Michael Irvin Podcast" that Samuel would've produced even better numbers had he played with an elite signal-caller last season. 

"Well, the pushback is he didn't do what those guys have done," Irvin said when comparing the 2019 second-round draft pick to Adams, Hill, and Diggs. "He didn't put up the numbers like those guys in the receiving department. If I'm his agent, what I'm saying to everybody, 'Davante Adams had Aaron Rodgers. Tyreek Hill had Patrick Mahomes. I had the dude you all are trying to get rid of (Garoppolo), and I still did what I did.

"I had a dude that you all were trying to get rid of right now. I did this with him. So go get me one of these. Go do your job and get me one of these, and I'll do my job and give you these. Go get me one of these Aaron Rodgers, one of these Patrick Mahomes, and watch me give you a Davante Adams and a Tyreek Hill.' That's his argument, and it sounds good to me." 

For what it's worth, it's unknown if 2021 rookie Trey Lance can be "one of these dudes" or if the 49ers are actively "trying to get rid of" Garoppolo this spring.