SANTA CLARA — A week ago, the NFL world was abuzz about whether the 49ers would trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel for a high draft pick.
Neither was dealt, and neither will be, general manager John Lynch expressed Thursday during an expansive 30-minute interview on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“During the course of drafts and offseasons, do conversations happen? Absolutely they do,” Lynch said. “We’re past that now.
“We’re thrilled to add to that group (of) Jauan Jennings, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell, Danny Gray, and now you add Ricky Pearsall, Jake Cowing. We made an already strong group even stronger.”
Pearsall was the 49ers’ first-round pick, at No. 31 overall, and Cowing was selected in the fourth round.
While the 49ers entered Phase II of their voluntary offseason program this week, this offseason’s top business priority remains a potential extension for Aiyuk, who is set to play for a $14.1 million salary on the fifth-year, team option on his rookie deal.
“I’m doing everything in my power to keep our roster together. That’s my goal. And I don’t question that,” Lynch added. “I’ve got so much belief. When you’ve got Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo, those are guys we drafted. They’re guys we take a lot of pride in who they’ve become. We couldn’t be more proud of those guys.”
"I love our roster & I love the way it's comprised..
I'm doing everything in my power to keep our roster together & that's my goal..
Deebo & Aiuyk are guys that we drafted & we couldn't be more proud of these guys"@JohnLynch49ers #PMSLive #FTTB pic.twitter.com/cFneUDrPU8
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 2, 2024
“Part of my job is to think about the now and to think into the future, as well,” Lynch added. “We don’t do that without thinking, ‘Can these guys contribute right away?’ We have a vision for both those guys, how they can contribute. They represent a lot of the qualities we like. They were the best players there for us at the time. We’re thrilled to add those guys to an already strong room. We’re ready to roll forward.”
The 49ers will hold their rookie minicamp next weekend, with the eight-man draft class reporting Thursday along with eight undrafted players who’ve agreed to contracts.
Quarterback Brock Purdy has been present since the start of the offseason program April 15. When Lynch was asked Thursday about Purdy’s discovery as the 2022 draft’s final pick, he insisted on crediting team scout Steve Slowik and quarterbacks coach Brian Griese for championing Purdy’s case out of Iowa State.
“He’s an awesome kid. He’s got a lot of ability,” Lynch said. “It’s a great story, but it’s more than a story now. He’s our guy and we’re thrilled to have him.”
Purdy’s emergence has offset the 49ers’ 2021 first-round selection of Trey Lance, who was traded last August to the Dallas Cowboys for a fourth-round draft pick; the 49ers used that selection on safety Malik Mustapha.
“It was difficult. We invested a lot in Trey,” Lynch recalled. “We had a lot of belief he was the right guy. It was during the COVID period. It was tough to get out and see players a lot.”
The Cowboys have declined to exercise Lance’s fifth-year option for 2025, according to multiple reports Wednesday.
“We still believe Trey can have a really good career in the NFL,” Lynch added. “You always have to look out for your organization, but at the same time, can we put Trey in a good position? We started talking to some people, and the thing came about with the Cowboys. I’m hopeful that Trey gets his opportunity. You couldn’t ask for a better guy, a stud human being. I really do believe he’s going to have some success in this league and wish nothing but the best for him and his family.”
Speaking of the best, Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan enter Year 8 in their roles still seeking to win a Lombardi Trophy, after four appearances in the NFC Championship Game and now after their second Super Bowl defeat.
Said Lynch: “This is a place with a long history… I was drawn to the Niners because of the history. I went to school right up the road. Bill Walsh was my coach my senior year. And the Niners’ culture is special. I walk by 5 trophies. You know, we’ve been to four or five NFC Championships. We’ve been to a couple of Super Bowls.
“But, man, it kills me that we’ve come close but we haven’t knocked down that wall, and we need to add a sixth trophy. That’s what I’m committed to doing, and that’s what we’re committed to doing. There’s been some heartbreak but the only thing I know how to do is you go back, find a way to get a little bit better, you keep your belief up, and you take some more swings at it, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”
