Deebo Samuel’s 49ers payday getting closer; Nick Bosa more likely in 2023

SANTA CLARA — Deebo Samuel was present and accounted for Tuesday and 49ers general manager John Lynch is optimistic there will be good news regarding a new contract sooner rather than later.

As for Nick Bosa, chances are he’ll wait a year and hope to break the bank after a monster 2022 season.

The Press Democrat’s Inside the 49ers blog

“We’ve had really productive and substantive talks,” Lynch said at the 49ers’ camp-opening press conference. “I don’t want to get everyone all excited that something is imminent because we’re not there yet, but we’re really hopeful that in the near future we’ll be able to announce something that’s exciting for everyone involved.

“Deebo is here today and we’re excited about moving forward with him as part of this team.”

It’s been a curious offseason with regard to Samuel. It has been reported he wants a trade, something Samuel himself has neither confirmed nor denied. He reported to the 49ers’ mandatory minicamp in June but was held out of action and did not talk to the media.

He wasn’t included during press availability on Tuesday.

Samuel, a second-round draft pick in 2019, is entering the fourth and final year of a contract that pays $3.936 million with a cap number of more than $4.8 million — numbers lower than place-kicker Robbie Gould. He had 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns and assumed an expanded role in the running game with 365 yards on 58 carries and eight touchdowns.

In the meantime, a number of wide receivers got rich in the offseason led by Miami’s Tyreek Hill ($30 million average annual salary), the Raiders’ Davante Adams ($28 million), the Rams’ Cooper Kupp ($26.7 million), the Titans’ A.J. Brown $25 million, the Bills’ Stefon Diggs ($24 million) and the Commanders’ Terry McLaurin ($23.2 million).

When asked directly if Samuel would participate in practice without a deal, Lynch didn’t give a direct answer. Which means Samuel is probably a spectator until he puts pen to paper.

“We’re focused on getting something done,” Lynch said. “It’s not a hard deadline, but deadlines have a way of spurring these things into action. We’ve had a number of productive talks and are hopeful that something is going to happen in the near future.”

As far as the 49ers’ offense goes, the sooner the better because if Samuel doesn’t practice, he would lose valuable time gaining timing and rhythm with a new quarterback. The 49ers made official Tuesday what has been obvious since the end of the regular season — the starting quarterback in 2022 will be Trey Lance.

When the 49ers move on from 2021 starter Jimmy Garoppolo, his $24 million salary will come off the books and in theory make it easier to accommodate Samuel’s new contract.

It’s been speculated Samuel isn’t enamored with the idea of taking on the duties of a running back as he did so often last season. Coach Kyle Shanahan, asked about Samuel’s role, said, “Deebo and I had a real good discussion and we’re on the same page.”

Bosa’s role of coming off the edge and getting after quarterbacks has never been in question. But Lynch’s comments had a “wait till next year” tone with regard to a new deal. Bosa was a first-round pick in 2019 and thus got a contract one year longer than that of Samuel.

“If you look at our history, our cadence, most of our deals are done with one year left on the contract,” Lynch said. “Nick’s got two years left. That doesn’t make it impossible, but it makes it more likely that something will be addressed next year.”

Bosa is due $5.2 million in salary and bonus money, and is scheduled to make more than $17 million in 2023 under a fifth-year option available to use on first-round draft picks.

If Bosa can build on a 2021 season in which he had 15½ sacks coming off ACL surgery, he’ll command a huge raise which could make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player a year from now.

The top three average salaries for edge rushers this season range from $25 million for Cleveland’s Myles Garrett at No. 3, with Bosa’s brother Joey of the Chargers getting $27 million and the Steelers’ T.J. Watt $28 million.

Teammates on the 49ers are eager to see Bosa in action given he didn’t spend the offseason rehabbing an injury and will open camp with all systems go rather than gradually working up to the regular-season opener.

“Who knows?” defensive end/tackle Arik Armstead said. “Nick is an amazing player. Last year it had to be a ramp-up because he was coming off a major injury. With a whole offseason to train without worrying about the knee, I think it’s going to be super helpful for him. I expect to see similar things this year — and even better.”

Tight end George Kittle said Bosa has “an addiction to being great” and expects to see exactly that.

“He’s going to play at a high level,” Kittle said. “He’s going to have a lot of sacks, a lot of forced fumbles, he’s going to make a lot of plays.”