Connected to veteran receivers throughout the offseason, the Jets ended up using the No. 10 overall pick to address the position. Garrett Wilson will be tasked with elevating Zach Wilson, but the Jets did make an offer for Deebo Samuel.
The 49ers turned down the Jets’ proposal — the No. 10 overall pick and a fifth-rounder for Samuel and San Francisco’s second-rounder (No. 61) — according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, who adds the Lions made an offer as well. Detroit’s offer was viewed as “light” for the All-Pro wideout. It does not sound like the 49ers seriously engaged with the Jets or Lions, via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (video link).
The Jets were viewed as the frontrunners for Samuel, though the Lions and Packers pursued him as well. Samuel’s trade request surfaced April 20, though the 49ers learned about it well before then. Multiple teams were believed to have offered first-round picks for Samuel. The Lions might have included their No. 32 overall choice in their respective package. Detroit ended up using its No. 32 pick to trade up for Jameson Williams.
Gang Green did not include a first-rounder in its Tyreek Hill offer but did put both its second-round picks and a third in that proposal — one the Chiefs were prepared to accept. Hill’s preference for Miami led to a second-place Jets finish there. The Jets were also linked to using the No. 10 overall pick in a D.K. Metcalf proposal. Given the second-round pick that would have come back to the Jets in the Samuel offer, the 49ers exited the talks to lead the AFC East team to focus on draft options at receiver.
Like a Hill trade, a Samuel swap would have required the Jets to work out a monster extension. Garrett Wilson, though an unproven commodity at the pro level, can be controlled through 2026 on a rookie deal. Still, the events of Thursday night will make matters more difficult for the 49ers. Samuel’s trade request came when all his 2019 receiver classmates were tied to their rookie contracts. A.J. Brown has since agreed to a four-year, $100MM deal.
The 49ers’ initial Samuel offer was believed to be for less than $19MM annually. While Samuel is reportedly now against being used as a running back and may or may not have issues with living in California, the 49ers will certainly need to up their offer now that Brown is tied to his new contract.
I’m not sure yet how they’ll blow it, but the Jets had a phenomenal first round last night.
Three years from now, someone is going to say “those stupid Jets! They could have drafted xxx instead of yyy!”
As a Jets fan, that’s how I feel. I even feel good about what I’d still like to see them take (an off ball linebacker and an offensive lineman with some upside) given what’s left. Waiting for the other shoe to drop, because they’re the Jets.
Deebo…..play out your legal contract that YOU signed and quit whining…..if you sit out this year….then the Niners franchise you next year…work out something reasonable that fits both situations….and makes you a rich man and being the good teammate that you are…..helps YOUR team!!
C’mon man, are you really going to get on Deebo after seeing multiple WRs pull the exact same move already?
The other WR’s have way more tenure in the league than Deebo and better track records. Plus, their teams are cap strapped and it helps them out by getting rid of a top contract. The Niners don’t have a 50 million a year QB to hold their cap space down. They also did things a little more maturely than Deebo. They didn’t talk to the media, let their family and friends spout off and didn’t scrub their social media of their team.
Side note….he can’t sit out the year. The contract will roll over for another year and he will be back in the same spot next year.
Deebo will get his money. he just needs to be patient and let Lynch deal out Jimmy G to Carolina in a month or two.
He had no choice of contract, team, or seeking a new contract. Now he can seek a new contract and he is. Don’t act like he entered a contract with equal power and now he’s welshing on a deal.
Time for Zach to step up.
Calm down. It’s his second season.
Jets had a great first day. The coach is good do they should be able to take a step up this upcoming season.
Football players are the absolute worst divas. YOU signed a contract that you are obliged to fulfill your end of the bargain. If you play like garbage you aren’t giving any of the money back so why should you get MORE money if you play better? Ridiculous.
You have no clue what you’re talking about. He DID fulfill his entire 4 year rookie contract. He’s entering the final year of that deal and negotiating his next contract, but isn’t being offered what he wants. Next logical choice is to find someone who will pay him.
He will get what he wants but he needs to be patient. Once Jimmy G is dealt in a few months, 25 million in cap space will open up and he will get his new deal.