It appears the Deebo Samuel era with the San Francisco 49ers is over after the wide receiver requested a trade at his exit meeting following the 2024 season.
How much the 49ers can get for Samuel on the trade market at this point is unclear. He’s 29-years old and entering the final year of his contract, which means the team acquiring him would likely need to extend him.
Samuel is coming off one of the least-productive seasons of his career where his yards per route run, yards after catch per reception and missed tackles forced all hit career-lows per Pro Football Focus. It stands to reason even wide receiver-needy teams might be hesitant to give up valuable draft capital to pry him away from San Francisco.
NFL analytics site the 33rd Team proposed a pair of hypothetical trades the 49ers should leap at the opportunity to take if they present themselves.
In their hypotheticals, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers both offer their 2025 third-round picks for the 2021 All-Pro. The Patriots would dish out the No. 77 overall choice, while the Steelers would give up the No. 83 pick.
It would be a pretty substantial victory for the 49ers if they’re able to snag a top-100 pick for a player who is actively seeking a trade entering his Age 29 season after the worst year of his career. On the other hand, if a team believes Samuel has good years left, a Day 2 pick is a steal given his ceiling as one of the most versatile wide receivers in the NFL.
A more likely scenario is one where the 49ers get a Day 3 pick. If they’re getting a top-100 pick, it probably means they’re attaching some kind of draft capital to Samuel in the deal.
Samuel was a second-round pick by the 49ers in the 2019 draft. In 81 games across six seasons he hauled in 334 receptions for 4,792 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also churned out 1,143 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns on 202 carries.
There is no guaranteed money left on Samuel’s contract, and he carries a $15,869,623 cap hit in 2025.