Deebo Samuel's situation -- we can call it a contract issue, or we can call it general discontent -- hasn't advanced to a more promising stage within the last few weeks.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Samuel will not be in attendance for the start of the 49ers' organized team activities. Samuel's situation remains unsettled, so he's avoiding the team's voluntary sessions, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per a source.
Samuel's displeasure with the organization first became public ahead of the 2022 draft, but the 49ers didn't receive any trade offers they deemed adequate enough to seriously consider. Samuel is still on the roster, but he's clearly not happy with his current role and/or compensation.
Linebacker Fred Warner said recently he believed the two sides would come to an agreement in what amounted to "just a matter of time".
Such time has not yet run out. It's fairly common for players to miss OTAs for contractual reasons or out of personal offseason training preference. This is not unlike those situations.
Since it is not mandatory, Samuel has little reason to be in attendance. The time keeps ticking toward an undetermined end.
