NFL Trade Rumors: San Francisco 49ers Open to Moving Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel

The San Francisco 49ers may have too many pass catchers for their own good. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the 49ers are "expected to explore trading" side receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason.

The #49ers are expected to explore trading star WR Deebo Samuel, sources say.

In what could be a wild offseason, a parting for Samuel and SF is not guaranteed, but it may make sense for all parties.

My story: https://t.co/g5WdqHQXfv https://t.co/g5WdqHQXfv
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 9, 2025

ESPN's Adam Schefter also later revealed that the 49ers had gone so far as to give permission to Samuel to seek a trade.

The 49ers have granted Deebo Samuel and his agent Tory Dandy permission to find a trade partner for the wide receiver, Samuel told ESPN. This comes after Samuel asked San Francisco to trade him during the players’ exit meetings after the season.

“It was a hard conversation to… pic.twitter.com/uuEsxgFHIJ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 9, 2025

Samuel was once one of the league's most unique and promising wide receivers. In 2021, he earned first-team All-Pro recognition for a dominant two-way campaign in which he caught 77 balls for 1405 receiving yards while adding 59 rushing attempts for 365 yards.

Samuel has remained an effective receiver in the years since but hasn't quite lived up to the lofty standards of that breakout season. He has still managed a respectable 51.0 receiving yards per game at 8.3 yards per target, but his efficiency as a runner dipped noticeably last year. After averaging 6.3 yards per rush through his first six seasons, Samuel plummeted all the way to 3.2 in 2024.

Samuel would still be worth stashing for most teams, but the 49ers find themselves with a logjam of quality wide receivers. Last year, they signed Brandon Aiyuk to a massive four-year, $120 million deal and spent a first-round pick on Ricky Pearsall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Jauan Jennings also emerged as arguably their best wide receiver, hauling in 77 passes for 975 yards and six touchdowns. With tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey also on the roster, the 49ers may simply have too many mouths to feed.

Samuel is a tough, punishing runner and one of the NFL's most productive wide receivers after the catch. His decline in production could be attributed somewhat to diminished opportunities in San Francisco, so he should still be considered an intriguing prospect to most teams.

Unless a bidding war breaks out, Samuel should be a worthwhile gamble for any contending team in need of a pass catcher. He may not be a dominant outside threat, but he can move the chains and sustain drives like few other players. So long as he doesn't require too high a draft pick or an excessively lucrative extension, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills should start making calls as soon as possible.