Latest news with #DeeboSamuel
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
49ers' John Lynch provides clear expectations for younger SF team
The post 49ers' John Lynch provides clear expectations for younger SF team appeared first on ClutchPoints. San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch made it clear that the upcoming NFL season is a pivotal one for the team, with an offseason emphasis on youth development and long-term championship goals. Coming off a disastrous 6–11 finish that saw the Niners finish last in the NFC West, the team is reshaping its identity around a younger, faster, and more resilient core. Advertisement In a recent piece by NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco, Lynch outlined his expectations for the 49ers' roster, emphasizing a balance of opportunity and patience. 'We'll be a younger team,' Lynch said. 'It's a young man's game. But you're probably going to take some lumps and it's going to take some time.' Lynch's comments are especially relevant as the San Francisco youth movement accelerates. The 49ers intentionally moved on from veterans like Deebo Samuel, Dre Greenlaw, and Charvarius Ward in the offseason, reshaping the roster with promising rookies. Among them are Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and linebacker Nick Martin, all expected to contribute immediately. Despite the turnover, Lynch remains confident in the team's core vision. Advertisement 'You're going to have to make some mistakes. That's no excuse. It's just a reality. I think we will have some young players playing, provided they earn those opportunities.' Lynch's message comes amid lofty 49ers Super Bowl aspirations. He maintains that championships are the only acceptable standard—a stance reinforced by two heartbreaking Super Bowl losses to the Chiefs in recent years. The team is relying on elite players like Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Nick Bosa to help guide this transitional phase. Coaching continuity is also a key component of the 49ers' 2025 strategy, highlighted by the return of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. After serving in the same role from 2017 to 2020 before and spending three years as head coach 0f the New York Jets, Saleh is back in the Bay. His experience and leadership will be vital in accelerating the development of the 49ers' promising rookie class. Lynch's expectations for the 49ers are grounded in realism but driven by ambition. He acknowledges the likelihood of growing pains and early chemistry issues but remains confident that the team's blend of youth and veteran leadership can evolve into a legitimate title contender. Advertisement With what's projected to be the NFL's easiest strength of schedule and no opponents coming off a bye week, the 49ers are well-positioned to capitalize on a fresh start in 2025. Whether this young core can rise quickly enough to meet San Francisco's championship standard remains the defining challenge—and the ultimate test of the 49ers' bold new direction. Related: 3 San Francisco 49ers in danger of getting cut after 2025 minicamp Related: 49ers' George Kittle reveals what makes Kyle Shanahan different
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
49ers' John Lynch gets brutally honest on ‘tough' offseason
The post 49ers' John Lynch gets brutally honest on 'tough' offseason appeared first on ClutchPoints. John Lynch, the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, didn't hold back about the team's difficult offseason. Advertisement Every hard choice, from parting ways with key veterans to reshaping the roster, was guided by a clear vision. 'We had to get younger and we had to get a little cheaper,' Lynch explained, highlighting the team's goal to maintain its core while setting the stage for a significant move: quarterback Brock Purdy's contract extension. This spring, the 49ers bid farewell to several big names, including Deebo Samuel, Aaron Banks, Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, and Dre Greenlaw. It was a tough sight for fans, and Lynch recognized that during his appearance on NBC Sports Bay Area's 49ers Talk podcast. 'Even though we kind of warned our fans, that's a tough pill to swallow,' he admitted. 'I think it spoke to how good our roster was.' However, behind this talent exodus was a well-thought-out strategy. Lynch and the front office turned to the draft to reload, focusing on defense with their first five picks. Georgia Bulldogs pass rusher Mykel Williams led the charge, joined by Texas Longhorns lineman Alfred Collins and Indiana Hoosiers' CJ West. The plan was to replace pricey veterans with promising young talent while relying on the coaching staff to help them develop quickly. Advertisement The next big step came in late May when the 49ers and Brock Purdy wrapped up a five-year, $265 million extension, with $181 million guaranteed. While this deal doesn't top the NFL salary charts, it places Purdy among the quarterbacks with the seventh-highest average annual value. For San Francisco, locking in long-term stability at quarterback was essential. Now, the challenge is clear: the 49ers need their rookie class to rise to the occasion and support a core that includes Purdy, Fred Warner, and George Kittle. With several established stars gone, the pressure is on not just the newcomers but also on Purdy himself—now one of the league's highest-paid quarterbacks. Still, Lynch is optimistic. 'We executed a plan that we needed to, and we're excited with the way it all came together.' Related: 49ers' John Lynch provides clear expectations for younger SF team Related: 3 San Francisco 49ers in danger of getting cut after 2025 minicamp
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
49ers receiving corps ranked surprisingly high ahead of 2025 season
49ers receiving corps ranked surprisingly high ahead of 2025 season The San Francisco 49ers made a few changes to their passing attack this offseason, including trading Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick, signing Demarcus Robinson, Ross Dwelley and Luke Farrell, letting Eric Saubert sign with the Seattle Seahawks and losing Chris Conley to retirement. With all of those changes, quarterback Brock Purdy will certainly see new faces and numbers around him in the huddle when he goes under center for the team's Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Despite the significant departure of Samuel, who caught 334 passes for 4,792 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 1,143 yards and 20 touchdowns on 5.7 yards per attempt for San Francisco over the last six years, the 49ers receiving corps is still seen as one of the best in the league. In fact, Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema recently ranked the receiving corps of all 32 NFL teams, and he had the 49ers at No. 5 behind the Detroit Lions (No. 4), Cincinnati Bengals (No. 3), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 2) and Philadelphia Eagles (No. 1). "The 49ers' receiving corps is an unknown, given Brandon Aiyuk's recovery from ACL and MCL tears and Christian McCaffrey's limited playing time last season while dealing with PCL and Achilles injuries," Sikkema wrote. "But the fact of the matter is, McCaffrey has earned 84.0-plus PFF receiving grades in six of his eight seasons, including the last one in which he was fully healthy (2023), and Aiyuk was one of the highest graded receivers in the league (91.7) in 2023. "If they are healthy and can feature alongside George Kittle, who ranked second in PFF receiving grade (92.6) among tight ends last season, as well as Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall, the group deserves the benefit of the doubt, even without Deebo Samuel." Obviously, Kittle is doing a ton of heavy lifting for this group, after he finished his 2024 campaign with 78 receptions for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns before receiving a massive extension that made him the highest-paid tight end in the league this offseason. On paper, however, there are teams behind San Francisco that have legitimate arguments to be ranked above them, including the Minnesota Vikings (No. 6), Miami Dolphins (No. 7) and Los Angeles Rams (No. 8). Even the Chicago Bears (No. 9) and Houston Texans (No. 10) could prove to be better if their young guys step up. More 49ers: ESPN analyst calls 49ers offensive stud a 'Dark Horse NFL MVP' candidate
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
George Kittle Leaves No Doubt About Niners' Expectations
George Kittle Leaves No Doubt About Niners' Expectations originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season proved a major disappointment for the San Francisco 49ers. Coming off a Super Bowl appearance, many thought they were well positioned to make another run and potentially break through, ending a decades long title drought. Advertisement The results could not have been anything further from that dream. San Francisco plummeted to fourth in the NFC West and finished with a lousy 6-11 record. Instead of running it back or doubling down on their group, general manager John Lynch and his staff decided to allow for some major changes. The Niners saw an exodus of key contributors from last season during free agency, helping the cause with their trade of wide receiver Deebo Samuel. San Francisco used the rest of their offseason to invest in their few core while attempting to get younger and cheaper elsewhere. They welcome some promising prospects in a few key spots, so there may be some adjustment periods for the crop of newcomers. But as George Kittle urged during an appearance on CBS Sports HQ, the championship standard of this storied franchise has not changed. Advertisement 'I would say we have pretty lofty expectations,' Kittle said. 'We always do. We understand that we lost some really key players... 'That is obvious. We're aware of that. But I feel like, in the way we signed guys in free agency, the way that we drafted, we targeted those holes that we lost. I'm not going to say we're going to replace All-Pro players, Pro Bowl players immediately, but I think we drafted really, really well.' The Niners lost 17 players either by trade, release or signing with another team during free agency. Despite their 11 draft picks, those losses aren't made up in the span of a few days or even months when encompassing the offseason. But the Niners did not lose everyone and they retained their most important players. Kittle, Fred Warner and Brock Purdy all signed contract extensions this offseason while Nick Bosa and a hopefully healthy Christian McCaffrey remain in the fold. Advertisement The Niners have taken note of some encouraging early returns on first-round pick Mykel Williams and the young receiving tandem of Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings are positioned for more featured roles in 2025. Rarely if ever do teams see this many pieces leave during an offseason. But the Niners have allowed this by their own doing and it appears everyone is on board with the slight shift in direction. As Kittle understands, the brand and the name means the challenges that come with these changes are irrelevant at the end of the day. The expectations are positive results and the burden falls on this group to make that happen. Related: 49ers Insider Predicts Outcome of Controversial Kicker Decision Related: 49ers' Jake Moody Makes Move to Fix 'Unacceptable' Performance This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
NFL Expert Labels Commanders' Trade Pickup a 'Guaranteed Riser'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A viral clip at mandatory minicamp didn't do Deebo Samuel any favors last week. As Samuel went through a route in practice, a single video clip of the scene surfaced online and led fans to believe that he was out of shape and missed a step. It didn't sit right with Samuel's former teammate, George Kittle, who stars for the San Francisco 49ers. The Washington Commanders dusted it off. Dan Quinn praised his wide receiver, indirectly responding to the narrative that has been built over the past few days. "Somewhere along the way, I'd forgotten until [he was] out here how fast he is," Quinn told reporters last week. "He was such a difficult person to tackle that you spent so much time, 'How are you going to tackle this person?' And so, sometimes when you're playing against the receiver, you say, 'Man, you better either get him at the line or you better be on top of him.' With him, so many times there were so many runs after catch plays that we had a tackling plan, and how would you go about it?" Despite the looks of everything on a single piece of evidence from a spring practice, there hasn't been much real smoke surrounding a narrative that would suggest Samuel's decline is going to reach new lows when he debuts in Washington for the first time this year. Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers runs during an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers runs during an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Santa Clara, fact, one NFL analyst believes that the veteran wide receiver will improve, listing Samuel among a handful of "guaranteed risers." "Despite his declining production over the last couple seasons in San Francisco, Samuel has been one of the most productive wide receivers since 2021," analyst Marc Ross writes. "Yet, for as good as he was with the 49ers, an argument could be made that the seventh-year veteran is entering the best situation of his career after being traded to Washington this offseason. The change of scenery puts Samuel in an offense that is led by an MVP-caliber quarterback in Jayden Daniels. Also, he'll pair with a true No. 1 receiver in Terry McLaurin to form a dangerous tandem in Kliff Kingsbury's passing attack." The Commanders are on the rise in the NFC. Just last season, they witnessed their rookie quarterback put up elite numbers while becoming one of two NFC East teams to make a playoff bid. Washington upset the third-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers before waltzing into Detroit and taking down the top-seeded Lions. The playoff run was stopped short in Philadelphia against the Eagles in the NFC Championship round. Adding Samuel was a priority move for the Commanders, who wanted to stack proven weapons for the young Daniels to keep him sharp. Last season, the young quarterback completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 3,568 yards. He tossed 25 touchdowns and just nine interceptions. As for Samuel, he's struggled to live up to his third season in the NFL, when he led the league in average yards per catch with 18.2. That year, he caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards. Since then, Samuel has averaged a little over 700 yards per season. The Commanders acquired the veteran after he produced 4,792 yards and 22 receiving touchdowns in San Francisco. He was also a threat on the ground, rushing for over 1,100 yards and scoring 20 touchdowns. For more Washington Commanders and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
