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During this off-season, we’ve seen the wide receiver market completely explode. From the Jacksonville Jaguars giving Christian Kirk a 4-year $84 million deal to the Miami Dolphins making Tyreek Hill the highest-paid wide receiver, it has reset the market, and top receivers are looking to get paid.
According to Adam Schefter, receivers such as Deebo Samuel, AJ Brown, and Terry McLaurin are not expected to participate in their team’s off-season activities as they’re all looking for a new deal.
Schefter wrote on Twitter:
"Second-round picks that include WRs Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown and Terry McLaurin are not expected to participate in their teams’ on-field off-season programs because they want new contracts at a time this off-season when WR deals have exploded, per league sources."
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Not only did the Jaguars make an average receiver such as Kirk a top-10 highway-paid receiver, Davante Adams & Tyreek Hill each hit contracts worth over $25 million a season, which is what these young receivers are reportedly looking for.
When the Raiders acquired Adams from the Packers, they signed him to a five-year, $141 million deal. A week later, the Dolphins acquired Tyreek Hill from the Chiefs and gave him a four-year $120 million contract, making him the only receiver to earn $30 million a year.
Tennessee and Washington will begin their offseason programs on Monday, and the 49ers will begin theirs tomorrow. Adam Schefter reported that McLaurin does intend to be there in person, but whether he participates in workouts/programs before a contract is made is still in question.
All three players are entering the final year of their contracts and could make a case for deserving a new contract.
AJ Brown has had two 1,000-yard seasons and made the Pro Bowl in 2020. Deebo Samuel made the first-team All-Pro last season and set the record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season for a wide receiver with eight. McLaurin has the most receiving yards in the trio, with 3,090 in three entire seasons.
Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin, and AJ Brown could be trade targets as they sit out of off-season programs
With the news that these young receivers will be sitting out due to contract demands, they could come subject to trade targets which they’ve already been linked to this off-season.
Before the off-season began, receivers like Mike Williams and Chris Godwin signed three-year $60 million deals with their teams. Allen Robinson inked a three-year $46.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams. These young receivers like Samuel, Brown, and McLaurin could sit out of off-season workouts as they're trying to get new deals.
