The San Francisco 49ers’ biggest problem heading into training camp is one that most other teams would likely sign up for without hesitation.
The 49ers have two top-10-caliber receivers and likely not enough cap space to keep both for much longer.
San Francisco locked up 28-year-old Deebo Samuel to a three-year, $71.5 million deal last offseason, and 26-year-old Brandon Aiyuk is likely looking for a deal that tops that one this offseason.
Because it’s unlikely the 49ers can afford to keep two $23M-per-year WRs on their roster, SI.com’s Albert Breer believes the team will likely be forced to pick which of the two they want to keep either this year or next.
“I don’t think both those guys are going to be on the team long-term, and I do think that their futures with the Niners are relative to one another and really kind of center on the way the Aiyuk contract negotiation goes,” Breer recently said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “But I do think that if it were up to Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch, ideally, I think they’d like to have Aiyuk on their roster long-term. And if that means trading Deebo, then I think they’d be okay with that.”
Although he’s two years older, Samuel adds value to the 49ers offense that Aiyuk doesn’t: his versatility to play running back.
Samuel has just one 1,000-yard season in five years (he’s averaged 56 receptions and 824 yards per year), but he’s totaled 1,007 yards and scored 19 touchdowns out of the backfield.
Aiyuk, who’s scored six more touchdowns and has just 14 fewer receptions and 191 fewer yards despite entering the NFL one year after Samuel, is more of the prototypical receiving threat.
He’s logged 60 or more receptions with 800 or more yards and five or more touchdowns in three of his four seasons. Aiyuk is also less injury prone having missed just five games in his career compared to Samuel’s 18.
“I think they would keep Aiyuk over Samuel,” Breer added. “And I think it’s because Brandon Aiyuk is more of a traditional No. 1 receiver who can beat man coverage, who you can build an offense around. Deebo Samuel is great. He can do a million different things, but at this point, is he a little bit more of a luxury?”
Should the 49ers trade either receiver, their WR room still looks to be in good shape. The team signed Jauan Jennings to a two-year deal worth up to $15.4M at the end of May and they drafted Florida speedster Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 pick in April's draft.
