Deebo Samuel has been in Brandon Aiyuk’s position before, and he can certainly empathize with his 49ers teammate.
Aiyuk has yet to practice in training camp this summer, as he awaits a lucrative new contract from San Francisco — or a payday elsewhere after he requested a trade from San Francisco in mid-July. But from his own experience, Samuel knows that a trade request doesn’t mean the end of things between Aiyuk and the team that drafted him.
“I just want to say it’s a stressful time, and you have a million things going on in your head,” Samuel told “Up & Adams”’s Kay Adams on Friday at 49ers training camp. “Having been through it before, I can relate to everything. You don’t know what’s going on here, what’s going on there, what’s being said here.
“But at the end of the day, it’s just a negotiation, and there are some things you can take personally, and some things you can’t take personally. [The trade request] It’s just part of the negotiation process, and these times are stressful. If you’re not getting what you want, you’re going to be all over the place, like, “Is this the way this is going to go?” and your mind is all over the place.
“Overall, it’s just a stressful period, and I feel like he’ll be able to get through it.”
Samuel requested his own trade from the Gulf two years ago when contract talks stalled, but the pro ended up re-signing with the 49ers on a three-year, $73.5 million deal, ending his hold on the contract. Meanwhile, Aiyuk is in agreement with San Francisco regarding the first three years of the proposed contract, NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported Friday, while noting that the star wide receiver wants an adjustment for a fourth, non-guaranteed year.
On the other hand, the 49ers have also gone as far as setting a framework for trades with other teams.
But regardless of the current situation, Samuel expressed confidence that Aiyuk will renew his contract with the 49ers. But even in that case, Samuel warned that Aiyuk will not be stress-free.
“Absolutely,” Samuel told Adams when asked if it was all “over” for him after re-signing with San Francisco. “But I remember having that conversation with [Nick] Bosa. He said to me, ‘Man, once you get your paycheck, it feels like it’s over. But going out on the pitch is 10 times more stressful than anything else.’
“It’s like, ‘Well, we paid you this much money, so you have to come out here and act crazy every game.’”
It’s still unclear how this saga between San Francisco and Aiyuk will end, but if Samuel’s past stance is any indication, it could be good news for 49ers fans.
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