The San Francisco 49ers were among the few teams in the league that made no moves at the trade deadline. They are 4-4 on the season and had a bye last week, which gave general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan enough time to assess the roster.
The 49ers did not make any moves, but star wide receiver Deebo Samuel had a “funny situation” at the trade deadline as he received a call late at night from Lynch.
Deebo Samuel Shares Trade Deadline Story
In a conversation on “Cleats & Convos with Deebo Samuel,” the 28-year-old wideout revealed that, while filming a commercial at the 49ers’ stadium, he received a call from the team’s general manager at 11:00 p.m.
Since it was around the trade deadline, Samuel was a little surprised by it. “John Lynch called me at 11 o’clock… I look at my phone and I’m like, ‘Yo, why is he calling me right now?'” said Samuel.
“I answer the phone, he’s like, ‘Yeah, man, my daughter’s going to be the one running the NFL commercial that you’re doing today.’ I’m like, ‘Don’t be calling me.’ I don’t think he was actually thinking about the time he was calling me. I looked down at my phone like, ‘Why is this man calling me right now?'”
In 2022, Samuel signed a three-year, $71.55 million contract extension and is under contract until 2026. The 49ers were in cost-saving mode before the start of the season, which led to Samuel’s being linked with a move away from the team around the 2024 NFL Draft.
San Francisco ultimately kept him and Brandon Aiyuk on the roster as they still believed they would win a Super Bowl with this group of players. However, this might be their last chance of doing so, as Brock Purdy will likely sign an extension after this season.
Purdy, the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, has an annual salary of just $985,000 this season. His contract has allowed the 49ers to keep all their star players together, but since their quarterback deserves to get paid top-of-the-market money, the franchise will be forced to part ways with some players.
If the 49ers fail to win the Super Bowl this season, Samuel’s name will be brought in trade discussions as he will be in the final year of his contract.
Christian McCaffrey Is Expected To Play in Week 10
The 49ers have not had an ideal start to the season, but they are still in a good position to win the NFC West. Christian McCaffrey is also set to make his season debut in Week 10, and his availability is a massive boost for the team.
The 49ers have already lost Aiyuk to a season-ending ACL injury, but having McCaffrey back will open up the field for the rest of the playmakers on their team. Samuel, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall will all benefit from the star running back’s return.
First extended look at Christian McCaffrey back at 49ers practice pic.twitter.com/fVMMDzUMzS
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) November 6, 2024
Purdy has also played a lot better with McCaffrey than without him. The 49ers are set to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this upcoming week, another team without several key players. San Francisco is also expected to get Dre Greenlaw back in the coming weeks, who suffered an unfortunate injury during the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The 49ers have historically played better after their bye weeks, and now all eyes will be on Shanahan to ensure his team is ready to compete against the likes of the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Buffalo Bills during the final half of the regular season.