Now that 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel’s trade request has gone public, his teammates are inevitably going to be asked about it.
That started this week, with linebacker Fred Warner fielding questions about Samuel on Monday.
Warner went through a negotiation of his own last year before signing a five-year, $95 million extension with San Francisco last summer. So in a way, he knows what Samuel is currently going through.
“We all care so much about Deebo, players, coaches, and front office,” Warner said, via Jennifer Lee Chan of NBCSportsBayArea.com. “Everybody knows his value to the team. I wouldn’t say it’s much of a discussion amongst teammates. We all understand that part of the process. That player has to kind of go through it.”
Warner said he and other players on the team who have gone through negotiations are “here to help” if Samuel has questions.
“But he’s a grown man,” Warner said. “He has to go through that process and we all have to respect that. That’s the business side of the game.
“It’s different for everyone. With me, the offseason was so different because of COVID. There was a patience part of it and I relied on my agent and the people upstairs to get it done and my main job was to work hard and get ready for the season.”
At this point, the 49ers don’t appear willing to trade Samuel, with G.M. John Lynch saying on Monday that he “can’t ever imagine wanting to move on from Deebo.”
But should a team present San Francisco with an overwhelming offer, the 49ers likely wouldn’t refuse it.