The San Francisco 49ers are one of the older teams in the NFL and are looking to change that this offseason. While wide receiver Deebo Samuel has yet to hit the 30-year mark, his production has declined. The once-versatile player's best years may be in the rearview mirror. That may be one reason the 49ers didn't strongly resist his trade request—unlike after the 2021 season.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport emphasized that the 49ers are looking to get younger this offseason, moving on from older, less-productive players—even if it comes at a significant short-term cost. This approach allowed the Washington Commanders to acquire Samuel for just a fifth-round draft pick, and it's also why the team plans to release defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
Rapoport pointed out that quarterback Brock Purdy is expected to command an average annual salary of at least $50 million, forcing the 49ers to make tough financial decisions in the future.
"They're kind of out of that window where they have the best bargain in NFL history with the cheapest quarterback you could ever imagine being your starter, where you just spend whatever money you want around him and everything is fine," Rapoport said on NFL Network.
While Rapoport noted that trading Samuel clears some of his future salary, he didn't mention the $31.55 million dead cap hit it creates due to the acceleration of future earnings into this year.
Rapoport also reported that the 49ers have already begun contract negotiations with Purdy, something general manager John Lynch revealed last week in Indianapolis. He added that the team's youth movement could lead to more discussions about high-priced veterans on the roster.
"But it was really more about just kind of moving on to a little bit of a younger team, which does seem why they're at least open to dealing Brandon Aiyuk despite that big contract," Rapoport said. "But yes, the 49ers have begun conversations with Brock Purdy and his agent, Kyle Strongin, to try to get a new deal.
"[TE] George Kittle potentially getting a new deal, that is on the docket as well. It's going to be an expensive offseason for the 49ers, as they all seem to be, which is why shedding money, getting a little younger makes some sense."