John Lynch is hoping to do right by quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Deebo Samuel — just in vastly different ways.
The San Francisco 49ers general manager confirmed negotiations are underway for a Purdy extension and that the club is exploring trading Samuel when he spoke Wednesday at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
“We have started negotiations,” Lynch said of contract talks for Purdy, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal and due a paltry $5.26 million in base salary. “We’re talking. I won’t go into negotiations like always is our stance.”
As Lynch painted an amicable picture of talks with Purdy and his representatives, he perhaps surprisingly did just the same with Samuel, who was reported on Feb. 9 by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport to be headed to the trade block.
“We’re on good terms with Deebo,” Lynch said. “He’s asked for a fresh start and I think we’re going to honor that.”
Rapoport’s initial reporting was that the 49ers would be exploring a trade, though Lynch emphasized that Samuel has requested a change of scenery. Samuel requesting a trade or his name being bandied about in trade talks is hardly novel.
The “wideback,” who has produced 5,935 scrimmage yards and 42 scrimmage touchdowns as the first-ever WR with 20-plus receiving and rushing touchdowns, asked for a trade in the spring of 2022. San Francisco and Samuel eventually worked out an extension, but just last spring during the 2024 NFL Draft, Samuel and running mate Brandon Aiyuk were attached to more trade talk. Again, Samuel stayed put in San Fran, but times have changed.
Samuel, 29, is coming off arguably his worst season with 51 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns complemented by just 136 yards and one rushing score. Nearly all those numbers are career lows aside from an injury-shortened 2020 campaign.
Samuel voiced his frustrations about his usage last season and has no guaranteed money due in 2025 with a $15.9 million cap number.
So, the time is clearly now for the 36th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft to part ways even though Lynch appreciates what Samuel has brought to the organization.
“I don’t like seeing great players (leave), and he is a great player,” Lynch said. “I think often one of my favorite draft picks of my time. He makes plays and he makes game-changing plays. Everything’s good, but at some point, time happens. He asked for that.
“It probably makes sense, so we’re at least allowing him to look. We’re having conversations, and we’ll see where that goes.”
While Lynch and the Niners are ready to bid farewell to Samuel, Purdy is most certainly going nowhere and working out his extension has become the offseason’s priority.
“[We] want Brock to be our quarterback as long as we’re here and beyond, and we’ll leave it at that,” Lynch said.
Last year, working out contracts with Aiyuk and Trent Williams — who Lynch said is ready to go for his age-37 15th season — lingered well into training camp. Purdy has made it clear he hopes that won’t happen in the best intentions of participating in offseason programs.
Lynch made no definitive statements about getting a Purdy deal signed and sealed in quick fashion, but he was optimistic.
“I think the final thing: There’s no guarantees that we get something done, but my experience has been when both sides are motivated, there’s ample opportunity to do so,” Lynch said. “We’ve been able to do that.”
