The San Francisco 49ers have a little bit of roster management in mind following the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. According to the San Francisco Chronicle's Michael Silver, the 49ers could be willing to trade All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Based on my conversations with other teams, the 49ers are now more likely to deal Deebo Samuel than they are Brandon Aiyuk. Stay tuned.
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 26, 2024
The 49ers drafted Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick last night. They are also working on an extension with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Considering that All-Pro tight end George Kittle and All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey are already on top-of-the-market deals, and quarterback Brock Purdy will become extension-eligible next offseason, the 49ers are barrelling towards an unsustainable cap situation with their pass catchers. Something has to give, and teams around the NFL know it.
Samuel is an incredible player with rare yards-after-catch ability and a unique willingness to contribute as a punishing inside runner, but the 49ers roster is so absurdly stacked at this point that his production has tailed off considerably since his breakout 2021 season. After contributing a stunning 1770 yards from scrimmage that year, he dropped to 864 in 2022 and 1117 in 2023.
With more touches and targets, Samuel could easily rejoin the NFL's elite at his position. The explosion of the wide receiver market in recent years has also meant his current contract has become a relative bargain: he's due approximately $23.8 million in total compensation this year and another $19.4 million in 2025. Teams should be elated for the opportunity to acquire him for a second-round pick. The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers hold the 33rd overall and the 37th overall picks, respectively, and should be particularly desperate to add a trust-worthy veteran pass catcher.
Photo Credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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