The 49ers on Tuesday open mandatory minicamp, and disgruntled wide receiver Deebo Samuel will be in attendance. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport first reported the news.
Samuel’s negotiations on a long-term extension haven’t gone well, with the All-Pro WR requesting a trade before the NFL draft. He’d yet to attend any of the offseason program, and his presence for mandatory minicamp is an indication that the rift between Samuel and the team is at least beginning to close.
This isn’t the end of the Samuel saga though. His attendance doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll participate, and there’s still a tricky contract extension to hammer out.
Training camp in late July is the next real benchmark for contract talks. Attending mandatory minicamp will help Samuel avoid potential fines even if he doesn’t participate on the field. Training camp is where he’ll need to be suited up and practicing to prepare for the regular season.
It’s certainly a good sign that he’s making an appearance in the team facility though, and it’s the first real indication that things are moving in the right direction toward keeping the star wide receiver in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future.
