John Lynch reveals details of 49ers' Odell Beckham Jr. trade talks

Share

It's been well established that the 49ers were interested in acquiring Odell Beckham Jr.

CEO Jed York told reporters at the NFL owners meeting this week that the 49ers were "aggressive" in talks for the star wide receiver, but they never really got close. 

Rumors have trickled out that the New York Giants asked the 49ers for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, something San Francisco was unwilling to part with for good reason.

49ers general manager John Lynch went on KNBR on Friday morning, and explained why having the No. 2 pick actually put the team at a disadvantage during the Beckham talks. 

"I think, ironically, the fact that we had the No. 2 pick made it more difficult because they wanted that badly," Lynch said. "They wanted two No. 1s. And we weren't willing to part with that. It was too valuable of a pick."

The Giants ended up dealing Beckham to the Cleveland Browns for the No. 17 overall pick, safety Jabril Peppers and a third-round choice.

Beckham is one of the most talented wide receivers in football, and certainly would have been worth giving up the No. 2 pick for if the 49ers were able to get the Giants to give them the No. 6 pick in return -- something NFL Media's Mike Garafalo believes Lynch was amenable to and New York was not.

Giving up the No. 2 pick without getting a first-rounder back would have been a tough pill to swallow, but the thought of pairing Beckham, who is 26 and on a reasonable contract as far as stars go, with Jimmy Garoppolo might have been worth it.

[RELATED: 49ers reportedly meeting with multiple wide receiver prospects]

As it stands now, the 49ers reportedly are considering all their options with the No. 2 overall pick, including trading it. But with Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen possibly being available, it's hard to see Lynch and Co. parting with it.

Contact Us