The GM of San Francisco 49ers, Jqohn Lynch dismissed any notion that wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk were still on the trade market last week.
Speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show” Thursday, Lynch reiterated the front office’s position of wanting to keep Aiyuk and Samuel for the 2024 season, seeing them as integral parts of coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
“I’m doing everything in my power to keep our roster together and that’s my goal,” Lynch said last Thursday.
“And I don’t question that. I’ve got so much belief, when you talk about guys like Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo. They’re guys we drafted. They’re guys we take a lot of pride in what they’ve become, who they’ve become, and we couldn’t be more proud of those guys.”
“I love our roster & I love the way it’s comprised..
I’m doing everything in my power to keep our roster together & that’s my goal..
Both Aiyuk and Samuel (26, 28) are in the prime of their NFL careers, and have been key components for the 49ers for years. The former’s 2023 season was his best yet, making the All-Pro team for the first time.
Despite that, John Lynch and the front office were active in trade conversations leading up to the draft. The GM didn’t deny those talks either, stating that they are always listening to other teams. In the end, SF got stronger at the position through the draft, something that will help the 49ers’ success in 2024.
“And so, during the course of drafts and offseasons, do conversations happen? Absolutely they do,” Lynch added.
“We’re past that now and we’re thrilled to add to that group; Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell, Danny Gray. And now you add Ricky Pearsall, Jake Cowing; I think we made an already strong group even stronger.”
But with so many mouths to feed, could that lead to an exit after next season? Only time will tell. But for now, Lynch and Shanahan have a plan for their new recruits.
“We have a vision for both those guys [Pearsall and Cowing], how they can contribute and be a part [of this team],” he said.
“And they represent a lot of the qualities that we like in our players. And they were the best players there for us at the time. So we’re thrilled to add those guys to an already strong room and we’re ready to roll forward.”
