The 49ers on Monday began their organized team activities without star wide receiver Deebo Samuel in attendance. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Samuel isn’t expected to show up for the offseason program, but that isn’t a huge surprise given where the relationship stands between Samuel and the 49ers.
It would appear nothing has changed dramatically between the two sides after Samuel requested a trade prior to the draft and refused to negotiate an extension with San Francisco.
However, it’s likely Samuel might’ve sat out this portion of the offseason program even if negotiations hadn’t hit that snag. There’s some risk involved in taking the field, even in a practice setting. Trade request or not, Samuel was unlikely to practice until he had some form of long-term security with his contract.
