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Deebo Samuel is entering the final year of his rookie contract with the San Francisco 49ers heading into the 2022 NFL season. He has been seeking a contract extension during the offseason, but the two sides have not agreed on terms so far.
The contract dispute called into question whether or not Samuel would attend the mandatory portion of the 49ers' offseason workouts, especially after he requested a trade back in April.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that Samuel has decided to attend minicamp, though he is still unhappy with the negotiations.
Rapoport wrote on Twitter:
"Source: [49ers] star WR Deebo Samuel is expected to attend mini camp starting today."
Quoting his initial tweet, Rapoport added:
"It has been a long road for the [49ers] and Deebo Samuel. But his appearance at minicamp is noteworthy."
By showing up to minicamp, Samuel avoids potentially being fined by the 49ers for skipping a mandatory session, which could have eventually cost him more than $95,000 during the offseason alone. While he may not like his contract situation currently, the fact that he decided to attend minicamp is a good sign for the 49ers.
This indicates that Samuel is unlikely to sit out from games during the season, even if it's only to avoid being fined. Him showing up also suggests that he may still be willing to negotiate with the team on a new deal rather than turning his request for trade into a demand for one.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have remained relatively consistent during the 2022 NFL offseason by stating that they have no intention of trading Samuel. They fully expect him to be available for the team in the upcoming season. Their goal is to come to an agreement, and it appears Samuel is still willing to continue at least to talk things out.
Like many NFL players, Samuel would prefer not to play out the final year of his contract but would instead earn the security of a long-term extension with more guaranteed money. He is set to make less than $5 million for the upcoming 2022 season, which is extremely low considering his massive 2021 season.
Deebo Samuel's incredible 2021 NFL season
Deebo Samuel was one of the most dynamic players during the 2021 NFL season on his way to being selected as a first-team All-Pro. He ranked fifth among all players with 1,405 receiving yards while leading all receivers with 365 rushing yards.
Samuel combined for 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns. During his incredible break-out season, he finished fifth in total touchdowns and third in scrimmage yards.
