Deebo Samuel has been granted permission to seek a trade from the San Francisco 49ers, and a notable contender is viewed as an early favorite to land the star wide receiver.
Samuel revealed on Sunday that he informed 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan after the season ended that the former All-Pro receiver would like to play elsewhere. The 49ers have told Samuel and his agent that they are free to pursue other opportunities.
On Monday, SportsBetting.ag released odds on Samuel’s future. The sportsbook has the Washington Commanders listed as a slight favorite to acquire the receiver this offseason.
Here are the odds for the teams that are listed at 12/1 or better:
Washington Commanders +300
Los Angeles Chargers +400
Carolina Panthers +500
Denver Broncos +600
New England Patriots +700
Pittsburgh Steelers +800
Las Vegas Raiders +1000
Los Angeles Rams +1200
The Commanders top the list at 3/1, or +300. The Los Angeles Chargers have the second-best odds to land Samuel at 4/1, or +400.
Oddsmakers clearly expect the Chargers to look to add a veteran wide receiver heading into 2025, as the AFC team is also viewed as a top suitor for another former Pro Bowl wideout.
Samuel is coming off a down season. The receiver had 51 catches for 670 yards and 3 touchdowns in 15 games. His rushing numbers were worse compared to past seasons, as he had just 136 yards and 1 touchdown.
Samuel signed a 3-year, $71.5 million contract extension with the Niners ahead of the 2022 season. He had 77 catches for 1,405 yards and 6 touchdowns the year before and added 365 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground. Samuel parlayed that success into a new deal, but he has not lived up to the contract.
The 49ers lost Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending injury in Week 7, which should have paved the way for Samuel to become the focal point of their passing offense. The 29-year-old still failed to find consistency and struggled with drops, which led to some blunt criticism from a franchise legend.
Samuel is due $17.55 million next season, which is a reasonable figure for a top wide receiver. There should be plenty of interest in him, though a recent photo might give some teams pause.
