San Francisco 49ers

While wide receiver Deebo Samuel is present at San Francisco 49ers training camp and isn't technically holding out, he isn't taking part in practice either.

According to David Lombardi of The Athletic, Samuel will do conditioning on the side Wednesday, making him a "hold-in" rather than a holdout. Lombardi added that the Niners are having contract talks with Samuel's agent, Tory Dandy, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he had a "great talk" with Samuel.

Per Cam Inman of 95.7 The Game, Shanahan expanded a bit further, saying: "Hopefully we can figure something out soon, but we're in a good place today."

In April, ESPN's Jeff Darlington reported that Samuel had asked the 49ers for a trade. The Niners have been resistant, however, and have instead been trying to sign him to a new deal.

While the initial assumption was that Samuel's trade request had to do with money since he can become a free agent at the end of the 2022 season, that may not have been the entire story.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the trade request actually stemmed from Samuel being unhappy with the way the 49ers have used him:

Perhaps no wideout in the NFL had more on their plate last season than Samuel, as he was often used at running back in addition to his duties at wide receiver.

Shanahan's utilization of Samuel paid dividends, as the 49ers surprisingly made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game, and Deebo had a career year that should help him land a big contract.

The 26-year-old appeared in 16 regular-season games in 2021, finishing with 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns while also rushing for 365 yards and eight scores, all of which were career highs.

Samuel led the NFL in yards per reception as well at 18.2, which was a jump of over six yards per catch from the previous season.

The Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro is perhaps next in line among receivers to get a fat, new contract, as Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, Stefon Diggs and Terry McLaurin are just a few of the big-name receivers who have gotten new contracts recently.

Samuel is key to the 49ers' success in 2022 and beyond, especially with second-year quarterback Trey Lance set to take over for Jimmy Garoppolo as the team's starter.

Lance would be devoid of a big-time weapon at wide receiver without Samuel, which is why the 49ers have almost no choice other than to offer him a deal that will convince him to remain with the team moving forward.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will not begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing a physical Tuesday.

Doctors officially cleared Garoppolo for football activities following the physical, though it's unclear how active he'll be as training camp begins.

The signal-caller has spent the entire offseason recovering from offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder. His recovery massively limited his trade prospects this offseason, with several teams using the draft or trades with other teams to shore up the position.

The 49ers are planning to go into the 2022 season with Trey Lance as their starter after he sat behind Garoppolo last season. Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch met with the veteran Tuesday to inform him of their intention to move ahead with Lance.

"We have moved on to Trey," Shanahan told reporters. "... This is Trey's team."

Lance was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft and looked solid in limited work as a rookie, throwing for 603 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions while adding 168 yards and one touchdown as a runner.

The 49ers are expected to continue exploring trade options for Garoppolo as camp gets underway across the league. It's also possible the team winds up releasing him if no amenable trade scenario arises.

Garoppolo has missed significant time with injury since his trade from New England to San Francisco in 2017. He has played a full season just once in his career.

The San Francisco 49ers have handed Trey Lance the keys to the offense.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Tuesday that he and general manager John Lynch spoke with Jimmy Garoppolo to make the team's plans clear.

"We have moved on to Trey," he said. "... This is Trey's team."

The comments merely confirm what almost everybody already knew.

The Niners didn't give up multiple first-round picks to move up and select Lance in the 2021 NFL draft only to have him ride the bench for two or three years.

The writing was on the wall for Garoppolo the moment the franchise made the selection. He's in the final year of his contract and is clearly no longer in San Francisco's long-term plans.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on July 20 that the 49ers gave permission to Garoppolo's agents to begin looking for a trade. That would be their ideal outcome since his departure would give Lance a clear path and help them shed at least some of his nearly $27 million salary-cap hit while getting something of value back.

The 30-year-old's offseason shoulder surgery is likely depressing his trade market.

"We think Jimmy would have been traded if the surgery didn't happen," Shanahan said Tuesday. "He needed to do it; there's no ill will there at all."

The Cleveland Browns eventually settled for a conditional 2024 draft pick in return for Baker Mayfield, and they assumed a majority of his 2022 salary to facilitate the deal. San Francisco isn't exactly negotiating from a position of strength.

At this point, it might make more sense for teams to simply wait and see whether the Niners release Garoppolo outright. Are they really going to keep him on the roster when cutting him will save $25.6 million?

Regardless of what happens with Jimmy G, Shanahan made the team's quarterback hierarchy clear.

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is believed to be in line for a major contract extension, but it looks like he will have to wait a bit before he gets his payday.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, 49ers general manager John Lynch said Tuesday that Bosa's extension will be addressed next year and added, "His time's coming."

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Bosa is set to count for a $10.8 million cap hit this season, per Spotrac. San Francisco exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, which would pay him $17.9 million in 2023.

Lynch went on to say that the two years remaining on Bosa's deal are part of the reason for the lack of urgency toward an extension:

All signs point to Bosa staying put for the foreseeable future. The 24-year-old told reporters in June that he wasn't concerned about contract negotiations, saying: "I've just been focusing on getting better. I'll let my agent worry about that."

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shared Bosa's sentiments, saying he was "not too concerned" with the slow-moving discussions and adding, "I fully expect Nick Bosa being here for a very long time."

After missing the majority of the 2020 season because of a torn ACL, Bosa bounced back in a big way last year. He ranked fourth in the NFL with 15.5 sacks to go with 52 total tackles and four forced fumbles on his way to earning his second career Pro Bowl selection.

If Bosa can once again stay healthy this season, the 49ers will have a strong chance of reaching the playoffs for the third time in four years. San Francisco reached the Super Bowl in 2019 and advanced to the NFC championship last season, so the team seems primed to continue its pursuit of a championship.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has downplayed reports that Trey Lance developed a sore arm earlier this offseason.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Shanahan noted every quarterback he's ever coached has had arm soreness and that he isn't concerned it will be an issue for Lance.

Earlier this month, NFL Network's Michael Silver and radio host Colin Cowherd said on The Colin Cowherd Podcast (h/t All 49ers' Grant Cohn) that Lance had "arm fatigue" as he worked on rebuilding his throwing mechanics.

The 49ers have disputed any notion that Lance's arm was giving him problems. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has been training with Lance, posted a video on Instagram of himself catching three deep passes from Lance with a cheeky caption.

"The only three throws from the day, his arm got fatigued after that…" Aiyuk wrote.

Several 49ers players, including George Kittle, Trey Sermon and Trent Williams, got in on the fun in the comments section by responding with laughing emojis.

In June, after a practice during organized team activities, Lance spoke to reporters and clarified that he wasn't completely altering his throwing motion:

"I know everyone has their opinion on it, but for me, it's about getting the ball out, accuracy. Like I said, it's a lot different working down there or working away from the building because you're working primarily as a thrower, not necessarily as a quarterback. So there's little things that you change when you get back here just from a timing standpoint, from an eye standpoint, little things like that, but no major changes for me."

Shanahan also said Tuesday what everyone has expected since the end of the 2021 season.

"Jimmy [Garoppolo] knows we're going with Trey," Shanahan said. "Trey knows we're going with Trey. The team knows we're going with Trey, and everyone likes both of those guys. It is what it is."

Garoppolo's future remains up in the air, though ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week the 49ers gave his agents permission to seek a trade since he was cleared to start practicing after undergoing shoulder surgery in March.

Despite whispers the 49ers might stick with Garoppolo in 2022 after reaching the NFC Championship Game last season, it always made sense for Lance to become the starting quarterback.

San Francisco traded two first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Miami Dolphins to acquire the No. 3 overall pick and select Lance in the 2021 draft. He appeared in six games, including two starts when Garoppolo was injured, as a rookie.

Lance threw for 603 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions and a 57.7 completion percentage.

San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Deebo Samuel has reported to training camp this week, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, amid extension negotiations with the team.

"We've had productive and substantive talks..." general manager John Lynch told reporters Tuesday. "We're excited about moving forward with him as part of this team."

Lynch added: "We're not there yet... something is gonna happen here in the near future."

It remains to be seen if Samuel will also practice or if he was simply reporting to training camp. But optimism is clearly high in San Francisco that a deal can be reached.

"The days of holding out and stuff are a little bit different now because players, regardless of what the team decides later, always have to pay [the fines] back," head coach Kyle Shanahan told The Athletic's Tim Kawakami on The TK Show podcast Monday (h/t Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk). "Now, those fines can't get paid back [because of the new CBA]."

"What I do know is: I'm not worried about it not getting done," he added. "I feel very confident that Deebo's going to be on our team this year, and he's going to be for many years after. I do believe he'll get a deal. I know that they're working on it right now."

Samuel, 26, has emerged as one of the most dynamic offensive playmakers in football, catching 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns last season while adding 365 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground.

Having Samuel available will be huge for second-year quarterback Trey Lance, who the team has officially turned to as its starter.

While Samuel's impact out of the backfield is likely to lessen—the 49ers were bested by injuries at the position last season and used Samuel to help cover for those injuries, a role Samuel reportedly doesn't want to continue given the additional physical toll it takes on his body—he's still the team's most dangerous offensive weapon.

Wrapping up a contract extension before the season would address one of the final looming questions surrounding the team as the Niners look to compete for a Super Bowl this year.

It turns out not everyone is sold on Trey Lance as the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback.

A coach whose team plays the 49ers this season told Mike Sando of The Athletic that it would be an "early Christmas present" if San Francisco traded Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of Lance.

“That would be like my early Christmas present if they just get rid of Jimmy, so that way he can’t play for them, and then make Trey be your guy,” the coach said.

It's almost certain the 49ers plan to grant the coach his wish. The team has spent the entire offseason searching for a trade partner for Garoppolo and recently gave the veteran quarterback's agent permission to seek a deal.

The trade market has been slow for Garoppolo as he's been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He is yet to be fully cleared for on-field work and will likely begin training camp on the sidelines or working on an extremely limited basis.

The 49ers pushed their chips to the middle of the table in the 2021 draft to select Lance, who they viewed as a developmental star while Garoppolo served as a stopgap last season. Lance was inconsistent in his playing time last season, which included a pair of starts with Garoppolo injured. The North Dakota State product threw for 603 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions while also adding 168 yards and a score on the ground.

While Lance's rushing ability gives him a dynamic Garoppolo does not possess, Lance completed only 57.7 percent of his passes and was erratic with his accuracy last season. Some of that can be attributed to a finger injury that adjusted his throwing grip, but Lance looked very much like a work in progress.

Opposing coaches certainly have a higher view of Garoppolo than Lance. Sando's polling of NFL quarterbacks had Jimmy G ranked 16th and Lance all the way back at No. 29.

Fantasy players who are eternally frustrated by the way Kyle Shanahan uses his running backs should just avoid betting on anyone in the San Francisco 49ers backfield as you prepare for drafts.

Per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, Shanahan "appears determined to deploy more of a backs-by-committee approach" during the 2022 season.

Elijah Mitchell had a promising rookie season in 2021. He led all first-year players who had at least 100 carries in yards per attempt (4.7), ranked second in total rushing yards (963) and tied for second in rushing touchdowns (five).

Injuries were a problem for Mitchell. He missed six games during the regular season with a mix of knee, shoulder and rib ailments. The 24-year-old told reporters in April he had a "clean-up" surgical procedure on his knee during the offseason.

If anyone needs to know how volatile 49ers running backs are in fantasy, keep in mind one of them (Jeff Wilson Jr.) was a key figure in the feud between Joc Pederson of the San Francisco Giants and Tommy Pham of the Cincinnati Reds that hit a boiling point in May.

There were other reasons that Pham wound up slapping Pederson on the field prior to a game between the two teams, but Shanahan's use of running backs is often maddening for fantasy players.

Mitchell's performance last season, which included five 100-yard rushing games, would seem to be good enough to at least earn him the starting job going into 2022.

There was no indication Mitchell was going to be the No. 1 guy going into the 2021 campaign. In fact, most people assumed Trey Sermon was going to shoulder a heavy load because the 49ers traded up to select him in the third round.

Deebo Samuel also took on a significant role in the running game as last season went on. He was very effective in that role, racking up 365 yards and eight touchdowns on 59 carries.

It's unclear if Samuel will continue to be featured as a running back in 2022. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in April, after Samuel requested a trade, that one reason he wanted to move on was because he was uncomfortable with how Shanahan used him last year.

While the 49ers didn't honor Samuel's trade request, Rapoport went on The Pat McAfee Show last month and said he thinks the team has told the All-Pro wideout it won't use him as a running back this season.

Sermon only appeared in nine games and had a total of 41 carries. San Francisco added to its running back group during the draft by selecting Tyrion Davis-Price out of LSU in the third round (No. 93 overall).

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein did note that Davis-Price's skill set is "an enticing blend of size and explosiveness to go with an SEC pedigree" and noted his tape got better over the course of the 2021 season.

Shanahan's running scheme is so effective that it's hard to completely ignore 49ers running backs in fantasy. The 49ers have ranked in the top 12 in the NFL in rushing yards per game three times in the past four seasons.

The Niners could rely more on the run in 2022 than they have in previous years because of their quarterback situation. One reason Trey Lance is so enticing as a prospect is due to his running ability in this system.

San Francisco's depth chart features Mitchell, Davis-Price, Wilson, Sermon, JaMycal Hasty and Jordan Mason. Mitchell will likely be the No. 1 option, but Davis-Price could get on the field a lot if Shanahan likes what he can bring to the offense.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner has no doubt that second-year quarterback Trey Lance is ready to be the man in 2022.

Appearing Monday on the Rich Eisen Show (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra), Warner praised Lance and explained why he thinks the 2021 No. 3 overall draft pick is up to the challenge of becoming the Niners' starting signal-caller (beginning at the 1:50 mark):

"I continue to say, man, how much I've admired the way Trey has taken on just all the criticism, all I guess you could say all the pressure people are trying to put on him. He's been super professional about it, especially with how young he is. [He's] very mature for his age.

"And so, just the things that you see from him and the small things that everybody else outside of the building sees from him, that should give you a good sense of like the maturity for such a young player, and if given the reins, the way that he would handle it. I can continue to sit here and tell you how great of a person and player that he is. I've already spoken on that. But whatever it may be, I know that he is, for sure, if given the reins, that he's ready for it. He's very professional and mature and ready for whatever he is given."

Lance is expected to be the starter when the upcoming 2022 regular season commences, as veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been the constant subject of trade rumors.

Jimmy G has been the 49ers' primary starter for parts of the past five seasons, leading them to the Super Bowl in 2019 and to the NFC Championship Game last season.

Garoppolo missed all but three games in 2018 and all but six games in 2020 due to injury, however, prompting the Niners to move up in the draft and select Lance third overall in 2021 out of North Dakota State.

Lance's arrival seemingly spelled the end for Jimmy G, although he took the 49ers further than anyone expected last season, complicating matters.

Garoppolo has been a proven winner during his NFL career, going 33-14 as a starter and winning two Super Bowls as the New England Patriots' backup to Tom Brady, but he has never put up eye-popping numbers.

Last season, Garoppolo threw for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 15 regular-season games and had just 535 yards, two touchdowns and three picks in three playoff games.

Jimmy G is more of a caretaker and game manager than a quarterback who can win games on his own, which explains why the 49ers took a big swing by drafting Lance.

Lance is one of the most electric talents in the NFL, and he showed off his special skill set at the collegiate level, although he only started for one year and played in the FCS.

Still, that year was a spectacular one, as he completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for 1,100 yards and 14 scores for an NDSU team that went undefeated in 2019.

Last season, Lance appeared in six games and made two starts in place of the injured Garoppolo, going 1-1 in those games. He completed 57.7 percent of his passing attempts for 603 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, plus he rushed for 168 yards and one touchdown.

Due to his huge arm and ability to make plays with his legs, Lance adds an entirely new dimension to the San Francisco offense that Garoppolo has never been able to provide.

Given head coach Kyle Shanahan's creativity as a play-caller, Lance is seemingly the perfect fit for him under center, especially if the 49ers find a way to keep versatile and multi-faceted wide receiver Deebo Samuel despite his trade request.

There may be some growing pains under Lance due to his lack of experience playing against top-level competition, but few quarterbacks in the league have as high of a ceiling as the 22-year-old does.