The Bills have drawn criticism for participating in transactions that gave the Chiefs and Panthers the opportunity to make large acquisitions, missing out on the opportunity to improve their receiving corps late in the first round. Perhaps the Bills have something larger in mind.
Bobo Samuel is of interest to both Buffalo and New England, as reported by Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal. After letting Gabriel Davis walk (to the Jaguars) in free agency and trading for Stefon Diggs, the Bills are severely short-staffed at the position. Even as trade talks involving Brandon Aiyuk took place on Thursday night, Samuel seems to be a viable possibility to be traded.
Giardi notes that Samuel was included in the pre-draft assessment as well, and that the 49ers are now more likely to move the versatile player than Aiyuk. Considering that Aiyuk is older and more durable than Samuel—who turned 28 earlier this offseason—this makes sense. Aiyuk is a 2020 first-round pick. However, Samuel is bound by a $23.85MM annual deal that expires in 2025. Because Aiyuk has a fifth-year option remaining, an acquiring team would probably need to get an extension ready.
Though the team stayed onto both of its wide receivers, the Patriots talked about Samuel with the 49ers on Thursday.John Lynch stated it is not necessary to rule out a move after the draft.
It’s thought that the 49ers requested a mid-first-round pick in exchange for Aiyuk; no offer higher than a second-round pick was received. It’s possible that the franchise is now focusing on a trade drive for Samuel, given that the 49ers’ 2022 draft was affected by trade rumors two years ago. Samuel was then extended by the 49ers, who held onto him in spite of two major offers (from the Jets and Lions). The team must decide whether to give Aiyuk a high-profile extension because of his demonstrated worth.
The Bills need impact players as the 49ers, who are considering extending Brock Purdy, consider how to manage their increasingly complicated wide receiver situation.
The Bills have watched the Chiefs add first-round pick Xavier Worthy and wideout marquee Brown to their wideout corps in an AFC arms race that has seen the Chiefs separate over the previous two years despite Buffalo’s success in the regular season at Arrowhead Stadium. Diggs was dealt to the Texans by the Bills. With Davis’ second deal coming from the Jaguars, the Bills have only a few players left, including UFA signing Chris Samuel and Khalid Shakir. Samuel has shown himself to be of a far higher caliber.
However, considering where the 49ers’ contention arc is, it will be intriguing to watch if they give up on the Samuel-Aiyuk combination a year before they have to.
In 2025, the organization will have the option to franchise tag Aiyuk; but, by then, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Samuel will be in contract years. The 49ers, who selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st pick in the draft, are obviously looking into compensation options for a wide receiver right now, as opposed to trying to offload Aiyuk right away or considering a tag-and-trade deal in an attempt to keep the team together for one more season.
The Patriots are seated at number 34, and the Bills are at number 33. No. 60 is Buffalo’s own second-round pick. In the Diggs trade, a second-round pick emerged as the winner; Samuel is younger by more than two years. Despite being named an All-Pro in 2021, Samuel has only had one season with 1,000 yards.
The dynamic run-after-catch player missed four games in 2022, nine games in 2020, and two games last year due to injuries, which caused him to miss two more games early. Will tonight’s 49ers play a preemptive strike?
