The 49ers’ fall from grace has been swift and unforgiving. Few things are as damning an indictment of this team’s current situation as what general manager John Lynch revealed on KNBR on Thursday.
Thursday was already an ignominious day for the organization, as the division rival Los Angeles Rams won the pitch war for Odell Beckham Jr., signing the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver against league-wide interest. The 49ers, meanwhile, waived Jalen Hurd, their 2019 early third-round pick who never played a single snap for the team.
Lynch revealed that not only did Beckham Jr. once want to join the 49ers, but he was actively asking Lynch to trade for him.
“He’s been fond of our place. I mean, shoot, I’ll never forget, four years ago or something, he came up to me in pregame in New York, was saying, ‘Get me here, get me here.’ I probably shouldn’t be saying that, but I didn’t tamper, it was him,” Lynch said.
What changed this time around? Well, the answer is fairly obvious. The Rams are 7-2, competing for the NFC West title and are all but guaranteed to make the playoffs, and likely compete for a Super Bowl.
San Francisco is 3-5 with a quarterback who has many of the same frustrating tendencies that Beckham Jr.’s old quarterback, Baker Mayfield, had.
When asked how close they were to signing him, Lynch said the 49ers weren’t real contenders for his services, saying that their record prevented them from making a real pitch to Beckham Jr. and his representation.
“I don’t think close,” Lynch said. “Just to be perfectly blunt with you. I think some of that, you’ve got to earn the right…
This time, look, it was really important for him — we talked to his representative — to play for someone where he thinks he can get to the playoffs and while he wants to have that belief [with us], right now, our record doesn’t indicate that. So, again, you got to earn that right. So you know, when you win, it affords you the opportunity and the fact of the matter is, we haven’t.”
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