Deebo Samuel did not have the best season last year with the San Francisco 49ers as he struggled in several games.
Deebo Samuel has been granted permission to seek trade partner (Image via Imago)
Deebo Samuel has been an important cog in the Super Bowl hopes of the San Francisco 49ers. This past season though, his on-field performance dipped considerably, and questions arose if the team want to stick with him for the following season.
Many saw his statistically poor year as a warning sign that the team might be better off without him. He notched just 670 yards despite being the leading wideout. Dropped catches added to the woes after he tried to throw his teammates under the bus.
That led to many believing the curtains had drawn on a decent career with the San Francisco 49ers. He submitted a trade request and was waiting for confirmation from the team. Now league insider Ari Meirov has an update.
49ers GM John Lynch says they will “honor” Deebo Samuel’s request for a fresh start. Samuel has been granted permission to seek a trade, and his tenure in San Francisco will end after six years.
This means once he finds a trade partner, he will leave the team. Deebo Samuel might have struggled this past season, but he is still a legitimate threat on the field. Teams could gain by adding him to their roster. At the same time, teams trading for him will essentially get a one-year rental after paying him nearly $16 million next season.
Deebo Samuel leaving will see new wide receiver group emerge at 49ers
If Deebo Samuel leaves the San Francisco 49ers, it will break the tandem he had with Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle. As he struggled last season and Aiyuk spent almost the entire season on the IR list, a new group started to emerge.
Jauan Jennings emerged as the new leading receiver. He racked up more yards than his previous three seasons combined, making him the new sure-handed deep threat for the team. Along with him, rookie Ricky Pearsall made most of the limited time on the field.
He racked up 400 yards despite after some hard coaching saw him break the mold. Kittle racked up his second consecutive 1000-yard season and now, the group looks different. In addition to all this, Aiyuk will return next season.
This essentially gives them a good transition as they will have a new core taking over. All of them are under 27, giving the 49ers a solid run for at least the next two seasons. Now all they need to do is to secure Brock Purdy signs to a long-term extension and Christian McCaffrey comes in healthy.