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The 49ers have a problem with receiver Deebo Samuel. You know it. We know it.
You know, and we now know, that the man in charge hasn’t spoken to Deebo on the phone since he went public with his request for a trade.
Speaking to reporters Friday night, Shanahan said, “I haven’t spoken to Deebo in a couple of weeks.”
Shanahan wasn’t asked the next question. Why not? It’s possible he tried and that Deebo isn’t answering the phone. That would be significant if Deebo consistently evades his head coach.
Shanahan nonetheless expressed optimism that things will work out. He didn’t provide any details other than, “Just because I think we can.”
“They can work anything out,” Shanahan added.
He’s right, but the problem is that the problem happened. There was nothing to work out, and now there is. The 49ers presumably said or did something — or said or did nothing — that contributed to Deebo not only being upset but deciding he wanted out.
“Hopefully when this thing is all said and done we get what’s best for the Niners, what’s best for Deebo, hopefully that’s the same,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully it settles down now after this draft.”
Though Shanahan declined to elaborate on the reasons Deebo wanted out, Shanahan later said what may have been an accidental blurt of truth. He used the phrase “particularly in contract situations,” suggesting the problem — or at least the 49ers think the problem is — is Samuel’s contract.
If that’s true, it can be fixed if they offer him enough to change his mind. Of course, when it comes to a contract situation, his anger flowed from an offer he felt was so low as to be offensive. Whatever and however and whenever, something has to happen to put Deebo in the right frame of mind, to let the past go and not want to be gone any longer.