In 2021, Deebo Samuel was a monster, racking up 1,405 receiving yards and six touchdowns while averaging an NFL-high 18.2 yards per reception. In doing so, he earned the first trip to the Pro Bowl plus first-team All-Pro honors. He hasn’t accomplished either feat since.
Meanwhile, Samuel continues to get more expensive, along with the rest of the 49ers’ roster. He only has a cap hit of $12.2 million in 2024, but that number balloons to $28.2M in 2025. Plus, the 49ers may prioritize a contract extension for Brock Purdy this offseason, being that he’s set to enter the 2025 season in the final year of his contract.
In other words, those trade rumors regarding Samuel may heat up again this offseason, only this time, the smoke could lead to fire. It could even involve Samuel heading to a division rival.
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Could Seattle Seahawks be plotting a move for Deebo Samuel?
Suddenly, out of nowhere, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Seattle Seahawks were plotting a trade up for Deebo Samuel in the 2019 NFL Draft. Yet, the trade broke down when the pick they wanted to acquire to select Samuel was traded to another team.
“Instead of being on opposite sidelines Sunday, as they have been for the past six seasons, Pro Bowl wide receivers Deebo Samuel and DK Metcalf nearly wound up on the same team after the 2019 NFL draft.
Adam Schefter on Deebo Samuel/Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks intended to draft both receivers in the second round that year and thought they had a deal in place to do it, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.”
Thus, they traded down again, only to later end up with DK Samuel with the 64th pick instead. Yet, as Schefter tells it, the Seahawks wanted to land both Samuel and Metcalf, forming a powerful receiver duo with two playmakers who are extremely hard to tackle.
“But before that trade was finalized, the Raiders instead decided to send the 35th pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who selected offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor. To this day, the Seahawks don’t know why the Raiders reneged on the deal, according to sources.
Schefter, continued
One pick later, at No. 36, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Samuel. Once the Seahawks missed out on Samuel, they traded down again, moving from No. 37 to No. 47, with No. 77 also coming their way. At No. 47, Seattle drafted Utah free safety Marquise Blair.”
While all this happened six years ago, Schefter’s report prompted another NFL insider to take the news one step further. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio believes the report, along with previous Metcalf trade rumors, could indicate that the Seahawks are still trying to find a way to add Samuel to their roster, and it could happen this offseason.
“The item is far more interesting for what it reports than what it could mean. The timing of the disclosure, tied to the latest Seahawks-49ers game, could be a hint to Deebo that, if/when the 49ers move on from him after the season via trade or release, Seattle will be interested.
PFT’s Mike Florio on Deebo Samuel and the Seahawks
It also could be a hint to the league at large that Metcalf is available after the season, especially if the Seahawks can land Deebo. Remember the report from Schefter at the trade deadline that “despite speculation,” Metcalf won’t be traded? First, there was no credible speculation that he could be traded. Second, that might have been the first priming of the pump for someone to approach the Seahawks after the season. Today’s report quite possibly is the second push.”
As the Seahawks try to overcome their fellow NFC West rivals, adding one of their best players could be a good way to help close the talent gap. Yet, the 49ers would never trade Samuel to a division rival. So, would they really release their Pro Bowl receiver without getting anything in return? That seems hard to fathom too.
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