San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel wants out of the Bay Area. Fans have heard this tune before. The veteran requested a trade in 2022 amid stalled contract negotiations. However, that situation ended with Samuel and the 49ers mending fences and agreeing to a contract extension.
This time feels different. The 49ers don't appear to be fighting Samuel on his latest trade request. In fact, they've given him and his agent permission to explore trade options. Unlike 2022, the two sides seem headed for an inevitable split.
Samuel remains a fan favorite, but Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard has bad news for those holding onto hope for another reconciliation.
"Checked around a little on the Deebo Samuel situation," Kawakami wrote on social media. "I asked if this is at all similar to 2022, when he asked to be traded, the 49ers looked, but then he came back on a new deal."
Kawakami added, "I'm told, no, this is not similar. Everybody's set for Deebo to be an ex-49er soon."
Checked around a little on the Deebo Samuel situation -- I asked if this is at all similar to 2022, when he asked to be traded, the 49ers looked, but then he came back on a new deal.
I'm told, no, this is not similar.
Everybody's set for Deebo to be an ex-49er soon.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) February 12, 2025
Samuel's name seems to surface in trade rumors every offseason. With his production no longer justifying his hefty salary, it appears the 49ers are open to the possibility of moving on from their one-time explosive offensive weapon.
Samuel's breakout 2021 season saw him rack up 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns, earning him the contract extension that followed. However, his production has declined since then. Samuel managed just 806 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns this past season—his lowest totals since an injury-plagued 2020 campaign.
Of course, there are financial hurdles to overcome. Samuel will count $15.87 million against the salary cap in 2025. Trading him before June 1 would instead leave the 49ers with a massive $31.55 million dead cap hit.
The team could wait until after June 1, allowing them to release Samuel and let him choose his next destination, reducing their cap penalty. However, that scenario would mean getting nothing in return for the talented playmaker.
