It’s looking highly unlikely that a Deebo Samuel trade from the San Francisco 49ers will be the latest blockbuster during a crazy NFL offseason.
Despite the star wide receiver skipping voluntary workouts and creating somewhat of a buzz regarding his status in San Francisco moving forward, 49ers general manager John Lynch would be foolish to trade the offensive weapon.
According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, inquiries from other teams about a potential Deebo Samuel trade have been brushed aside by the 49ers’ brass.
A second-round pick of the 49ers back in 2019, Samuel is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The South Carolina product is looking to cash in big time after the lucrative long-term deals the likes of Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs received earlier this offseason. For good reason. He’s coming off an absolutely dominating 2021 campaign en route to leading San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game.
- Deebo Samuel stats (2021): 77 receptions, 1,405 receiving yards, 64% catch rate, 365 rushing yards, 14 TD
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A Deebo Samuel trade doesn’t seem to be in the cards
There was some speculation that San Francisco might look to cash in on the volatile NFL trade market at wide receiver. It was earlier this offseason that the Kansas City Chiefs netted five draft picks from the Miami Dolphins for Tyreek Hill.
The Green Bay Packers also received a first and second-round selection from the Las Vegas Raiders for franchise-tagged wide receiver Davante Adams. Both the Chiefs and Packers decided on draft pick assets rather than paying out huge cash to veteran wide receivers.
Related: Deebo Samuel trade scenario to the New England Patriots
San Francisco is in a different situation in that Samuel is only 26 years old and performed at a higher all-around level than those two stars a season ago.
For Samuel, his social media activity and rumors of discontent over contract talks with the 49ers had led to talks about a potential trade. It’s about the almighty dollar for the All-Pro, as it should be.
- Deebo Samuel contract: 4 years, $7.25 million; $3.99 million salary in 2022
Obviously, Samuel is vastly underpaid in the grand scheme of things. He’s also given hints that $25 million annually needs to be the starting-off point in extension talks with San Francisco.
Should nothing come to fruition on this end, all eyes will be on what Samuel does next. Will he attend mandatory workouts later this spring? What about training camp? Perhaps, a holdout could be in the cards. At that point rumors about a potential Deebo Samuel trade could heat up.
For now, it doesn’t seem to be in the cards.