For any fan who was holding out hope that their team would acquire either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel, John Lynch just slammed the cookie jar shut.
The San Francisco 49ers general manager has emphatically ended any remaining speculation about the team possibly parting ways with either of their starting wideouts following months of speculations that reached a frenzied pitch during last week's NFL Draft.
"I'm doing everything in my power to keep our roster together," Lynch said Thursday on the "Pat McAfee Show," via Steelers Now. "That's my goal, and I don't question that. When you talk about guys like Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo, those are guys that we drafted, and we take a lot of pride in what they've become and who they've become. We couldn't be more proud of those guys. And so, during the course of drafts and offseasons, do conversations happen? Absolutely, they do. We're past that now. We're thrilled to add to that group."
Of all the fanbases that are probably bummed out by Lynch's update, the Steelers' fan base probably takes the cake. Pittsburgh, after all, needs a veteran wideout and was reportedly in the running to acquire one of the players earlier this offseason. The Steelers reportedly were interested in acquiring Samuel during the draft, but were unwilling to meet the 49ers' trade demands.
While it likely upset several fanbases, Lynch's update was good news for 49ers fans hoping that this is the year their team finally snaps the franchise's 30-year championship drought. The odds of the 49ers doing that is significantly greater with Samuel and Aiyuk on the roster. Last year, the duo accounted for 19 touchdowns during the regular season and were a significant reason why the 49ers made it to the Super Bowl.
Lynch's update should quell most of the rumblings, but don't be surprised if more reports about a possible trade involving either Samuel and/or Aiyuk comes up again sometime before the start of the 2024 regular season. Things can change quickly in the NFL, and it's possible that Lynch could change course if he is faced with an offer he can't refuse.
