With the San Francisco 49ers reportedly having engaged in conversations about trading him and drafted another player at the position in the form of Ricky Pearsall, Deebo Samuel could be forgiven for being irritated.

As it turns out, he is anything but.

Samuel had, per Mike Silver of The San Francisco Chronicle, been assured he would not be traded this offseason. So far, they have stuck to that promise during the draft, but not without exploring the possibility of breaking it.

Silver reported after the selection of Pearsall that it was "likely" Samuel would be traded.

But, as yet, any discussions aimed at trading Samuel for a day-two pick have come to nothing. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Samuel doesn't have much of an opinion on the speculation.

I spoke to Deebo Samuel on the phone and asked his reaction to the 49ers’ drafting of his potential replacement, and to the reports that they explored trading him. “I know what’s going on,” he said, “but it is what it is. I’m good staying with them. I’m chilling.”

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 26, 2024

Russini reported that she spoke to Samuel, who said: "I know what’s going on, but it is what it is. I’m good staying with them. I’m chilling."

Many might expect Samuel to be annoyed by the situation, especially if the Niners did previously assure him he would be traded.

But what could be regarded as an unusual sense of calm from Samuel is reflective of the still comfortable position he occupies. 

He remains one of the better paid receivers in the NFL and is part of an offense perfectly suited to his skill set. Even with more competition for targets from Pearsall and the distinct possibility that Samuel could be dealt next year, he does not have much to get upset about. His relationship with Kyle Shanahan is strong enough that any awkwardness over the situation will likely be smoothed out in a hurry. 

The Niners may well have been diplomatic with the truth with Samuel but, assuming he now stays, it's unlikely to have any negative impact as San Francisco looks to mount another run at the Super Bowl in 2024.

The top three landing spots for 49ers All-Pro Deebo Samuel in a potential 2024 NFL Draft trade

He appears headed to a new team.