It wasn’t going to be cheap for the 49ers to acquire Odell Beckham Jr. Team CEO Jed York noted earlier in the week that the Giants were unwilling to part with anything other than Beckham, and wanted the No. 2 pick back in return. General manager John Lynch on Friday explained that the demand from New York was even more steep.
“They wanted two No. 1s,” Lynch told KNBR 680 in San Francisco per Cam Inman of the Mercury News. “We weren’t willing to part with that. That’s too valuable of a pick, even for a player of his magnitude. So we tried to come up with creative, different ways to get it done and it didn’t work out, so you move on.”
This falls in line with the 49ers’ clear plan for a rebuild under Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. They’re going to take big swings, but not if it’s going to jeopardize their future assets. They were in on Beckham, an undeniably elite wide receiver, for the right price. The price wasn’t there, so they didn’t force the trade for the sake of making a move.
New York wound up working out a deal with the Browns for the No. 17 overall pick, a third-round pick and do-everything third-year safety Jabrill Peppers.
Snagging Beckham would’ve been a nice find for the 49ers. Their pursuit also shows how much they value a top-end receiver. Beckham would’ve come with a hefty contract while costing the 49ers the second overall pick. They value that position, but not if it means uprooting a long-term plan.
The fact Beckham was in play for San Francisco is a good sign for their team-building in the future. If another top receiver comes available, expect the 49ers to be in on them.
Lynch and Shanahan have both noted the team isn’t done adding to its receiving corps yet. The player they add will just be one they think comes at a fair price.
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