Stunning Deebo Samuel report suggests 49ers are about to contradict themselves this offseason, and it would be the right move
Speaking in an end-of-season press conference last month, John Lynch was emphatic in his answer when asked about Deebo Samuel's future with the San Francisco 49ers. “Deebo’s under contract," said Lynch. "A good player and has done a ton for this organization and we’re not in the business of letting good players out of here." […]
Speaking in an end-of-season press conference last month, John Lynch was emphatic in his answer when asked about Deebo Samuel's future with the San Francisco 49ers.
“Deebo’s under contract," said Lynch. "A good player and has done a ton for this organization and we’re not in the business of letting good players out of here."
Now it appears the 49ers GM has changed his stance.
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the 49ers are expected to explore trading Samuel this offseason.
The wide receiver, one of the most versatile playmakers in the NFL when healthy and at his best, was the subject of trade discussions during last year's draft, and has long since been viewed as a potential cap casualty in an offseason in which the 49ers are likely set to make Brock Purdy one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.
His hopes of staying on the roster were not helped by a down year in which he finished with just 806 yards from scrimmage and only four touchdowns, having found the endzone 12 times a year earlier during San Francisco's run to Super Bowl 58.
Samuel publicly posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was "Not struggling at all, just not getting the ball".
He followed up that since-deleted post with a key drop in a defeat to the Los Angeles Rams that essentially doomed the 49ers' playoff hopes.
Rapoport wrote that "While it's not a certainty that Samuel is done in San Francisco, it's enough of a possibility that both sides appear to be at peace with moving on if it goes that way".
And though they would be contradicting themselves given Lynch's earlier comments, it would be the right move for the 49ers to move on.
If the 49ers trade Samuel post-June 1, they would save just over $5 million against the cap while losing $10.75 million in dead money.
The cap savings aren't huge, however, in an offseason in which the 49ers may also extend George Kittle and have potential opportunities to acquire superstars like Myles Garrett and Davante Adams, it would still be extremely useful.
Samuel has also never played a full regular season and, at 29 with his impact seemingly on the decline, there is less incentive for the 49ers to keep around a player whose bruising playing style lends itself to a higher chance of injury.
That incentive is lowered further by the presence of younger and cheaper playmakers who have shown significant signs of promise. First-round pick Ricky Pearsall came on significantly down the stretch of a rookie season heavily impacted by the gunshot wound he suffered last August, while lightly used fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing has the speed and route-running ability to consistently produce big plays.
San Francisco does not have another receiver that can do what Samuel does carrying the ball out of the backfield. However, the impact of those rushes fell off significantly in 2024 and, with Christian McCaffrey all but recovered from his Achilles and knee issues and rookie running back Isaac Guerendo demonstrating prowess as both a runner and a receiver late last season, the need for Samuel to carry the ball is diminished.
The logic of trading Samuel could be questioned by some given that Brandon Aiyuk's status for 2025 is no guarantee on the back of his season-ending knee injury suffered in Week 7.
But Aiyuk and Samuel are entirely different receivers. Aiyuk's game is all about creating separation. He does that at an extremely high level, whereas Samuel consistently struggled to break free from coverage in 2024.
Removing Samuel from the picture potentially gives the 49ers the freedom to acquire another separator like Adams, who could take some of the burden off Aiyuk as he works his way back, while still allowing Kittle, Pearsall and Jauan Jennings to be integral parts of the offense.
At his peak, Samuel has served as an easy bucket explosive play machine for the 49ers with what he can do after the catch.
However, Kittle still has tremendous YAC upside, while McCaffrey is arguably the most potent easy bucket option in the NFL when healthy. With the rapport Purdy has with both Aiyuk and Jennings, and the versatility Pearsall and Cowing possess to make them threats in the receiving game and on occasional designed hand-offs out of the backfield, it's clear the 49ers can not only survive, but thrive without Samuel.
Back in 2021, Samuel was the 49er offense as he and the defense essentially carried San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game. Those days are gone, and now the time has come to move on.
Davante Adams could emerge as an incredible insurance policy for 49ers to remove concern about one of their biggest unknowns
It could be an enticing opportunity.
