The San Francisco 49ers are leaving no doubt about where things stand with wide receiver Deebo Samuel going forward.
49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed Wednesday that the team plans to honor Samuel’s trade request. Lynch admitted that a Samuel trade “makes sense” at this point and will probably happen.
“We’re on good terms with Deebo. He’s asked for a fresh start and I think we’re going to honor that,” Lynch said. “He is a great player, one of my favorite draft picks in my time. He makes plays, and he makes game-changing plays.
“Everything’s good, but I think at some point, time happens. He asked for that. It probably makes sense, so we’re at least allowing him to look, and we’re having conversations. We’ll see where that goes.”
However much the 49ers like Samuel, moving on now makes sense for both sides. He is due $17.55 million for next season but did not produce to that salary in 2024, making just 51 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns. With the 49ers dealing with an inevitable new contract for quarterback Brock Purdy, getting that money off the books makes sense.
In his prime, Samuel was one of the game’s elite playmakers. He just turned 29, but there are some questions about his fitness and how effective he will be going forward.
Reports indicate that the 49ers have not received much interest in a Samuel trade so far for an interesting reason.
