The NFL Draft always brings chaos, but this year feels even crazier than normal.
Double-digit teams are trying to move up in the first round, as franchise quarterbacks and game-changing wide receivers litter the top of this year’s class.
While one NFC West team in the Los Angeles Rams were reported to be looking to trade up in the first round earlier on Thursday, Diana Russini of The Athletic has now reported that a second team in that division is interested in moving up — and they are taking calls on two of their best players.
Russini reports that the San Francisco 49ers are interested in trading up in the first round, and have had conversations with teams surrounding All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel and the dominant Brandon Aiyuk.
The 49ers have had conversations with teams, including with one picking in the top 10, about trading either of their prized wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel in an effort to move up in the first round, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 25, 2024
Aiyuk has been in the headlines all offseason long after a reported trade request. However, 49ers general manager John Lynch made it known that the team wants to keep him in San Francisco for the rest of his career.
Aiyuk is coming off the best year of his young career in 2023. The former first-round pick caught 75 passes for a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season. That followed a 2022 season in which he reeled in a career-high 78 catches and eight touchdowns to go along with 1,015 yards.
Aiyuk wants a long-term deal, though, which has put his name in trade talks this offseason.
As for Samuel, he already got his long-term deal, but it was after his own offseason of drama and trade requests in 2022. However, he secured his big deal, a three-year, $71.5 million contract that extends through next season.
If the 49ers traded Samuel on Thursday, they would incur over $21 million in dead money, per Over The Cap. As for Aiyuk, he’s entering the final year of his rookie deal that will pay him just over $14 million, but he wants a long-term deal.
This year’s class is full of wide receivers, so if the 49ers wanted to add one on a rookie deal, they’d have their options.
The best receiver in this year’s class is likely Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., but not far behind are LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze. Those are the “big three” and would all require the team to trade up, likely into the top 10. After that, there are other great options such as Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., Oregon’s Troy Franklin, and Florida State’s Keon Coleman.
As of now, the 49ers have the No. 31 pick in the first round. But it sounds like they’re looking to move up, similar to what they did in 2020 when they got Aiyuk. In that draft, they moved up from the same No. 31 to No. 25.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
The post 49ers Reportedly Talking Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk Trades in Attempt to Move Up in NFL Draft appeared first on Newsweek.
