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The Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft lived up to the hype with six quarterbacks stealing the limelight from the rest of the pack in the first round. Ahead of the draft, there were murmurs about the San Francisco 49ers reportedly fielding calls about star receiver duo Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel but ended up grabbing another talented wide receiver in Ricky Pearsall as the 31st pick.
Per reports, last year’s Super Bowl finalists were listening to offers from NFL teams for Aiyuk and Samuel. However, they were not in a hurry to make any moves despite being projected to be nearly $24 million over the salary cap in 2025, per Over the Cap.
Right after the conclusion of the first round in Detroit, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Michael Silver reported that the 49ers are now more likely to deal Samuel over Aiyuk. The Niners anticipated a first-round pick for Aiyuk, but all eyes will be on Samuel for an acceptable package on Day 2 of the draft.
In the wake of the latest rumors and the Pearsall pick, Samuel appeared to have shared his response in a now-deleted Instagram story. He reposted the same rumor update by Silver and left fans wondering if this was the end of his San Francisco tenure. The vague social media post sparked more chatter around a potential trade but there are no further developments on his status.
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Akash Anavarathan of the Bay Area Sports Digest posted on X that Brandon Aiyuk was impressed with the Ricky Pearsall selection. The 49ers WR messaged general manager John Lych and head coach Kyle Shanahan after the pick.
“Fire pick, can’t lie,” Aiyuk texted.
NFL Rumors: Is Deebo Samuel getting traded? Brandon Aiyuk reportedly wants $25 million-a-year extension
Aiyuk, a 2020 NFL Draft first-round pick, looks set to receive a lucrative contract extension after coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as he enters the final season of his rookie contract. Meanwhile, Samuel has two years left on the extension he signed in 2022 with a reported base salary of nearly $21 million in 2024 and $16.6 million in 2025. In what was a hit-and-miss season for Samuel in 2022, the 28-year-old wide receiver completed an impressive 1,117 total yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
From a financial viewpoint, moving one of Aiyuk or Deebo would free up the much-needed salary cap space in 2024 now that they have Florida wide receiver Pearsall into the mix.
Day 2 of the NFL Draft could spring a handful of surprises with the Buffalo Bills, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots eyeing a wide receiver. The real question is whether NFL teams would consider sending their second-rounder for the out-of-favor Samuel.
