It’s been the worst kept secret around the 49ers for months, Deebo Samuel will soon be a former 49er.
Despite General Manager John Lynch at the end of the year press conference when asked about the future of Samuel with the team said “We’re not in the business of lettin’ good players outta here”, they are in the business of winning and for the cost, Deebo doesn’t help winning like he used to. Throw into the brew, Brandon Aiyuk is returning from an injured knee which cost him most of last season with the sixth highest average annual value among receivers at $30 million and Samuel is at $23.8 million. Together that’s nearly $54 million dollars each season, plus Jauan Jennings number is nearly $6 million next season and Ricky Pearsall over $3 million. Combined the 49ers are spending nearly $39 million at wide receiver in 2025, 8th most in the NFL. Yes moving Deebo will cost you.
| CAP NUMBER | CUT/TRADE PRE JUNE 1 | CUT / TRADE POST JUNE 1 |
| $15.87M | $31.55M DEAD CAP -15.68M CAP SAVINGS NET: -15.32M | $10.75M DEAD MONEY 5.117M CAP SAVINGS NET: -5.633M |
In today’s NFL where the Denver Broncos ate a tasty amount swallowing over $50 million to let Russell Wilson walk and still made the playoffs, NFL teams will eat dead money in order to move the team forward on the field and not compound financial mistakes. The 49ers are set with their top three wide receivers for 2025 and Samuel isn’t in the picture due to finances and performance. Aiyuk will miss some of the season coming off of major knee surgery, but he’s the X receiver or Split End opposite the Tight End. Jauan Jennings will play the Z spot or flanker usually on the strong side, Ricky Pearsall will likely man the slot or the F position, although he and Jennings could flip depending on the play or personnel they are facing week to week, both players are versatile. George Kittle is the Tight End or Y. Depth is iffy with free agent Chris Conley who is used more on special teams and second year speedster Jacob Cowing who showed some flashes, but is more of a return man at this point and needs more beef on his 171 pound frame.
From a production standpoint, the 29 year-old Samuel had the worst season of his career in 2024. He’s played in 13 or more games in five of his six seasons, in 2020 he only played in seven games. Outside of that wrecked year, he put up career lows in receptions (51), rushing yards (136), yards per carry (3.2), rushing touchdowns (1), and tied his career low in targets, while only scoring four total touchdowns, three receiving and one on the ground. Deebo is nearing the not so magical age of 30, which shouldn’t mean much for a receiver, but running backs tend to start slipping at that point and Samuel is a hybrid running back/wide receiver known as the wide back and his body has taken a pounding. It looks like he is regressing, lacking the explosiveness and power that once epitomized his tone setting ways. Samuel has the highest cap hit among 49ers wide receivers for 2025 checking in at $15.8 million, ahead of Brandon Aiyuk at $11.2 million. Samuel no longer deserves that crown on this team and with contracts due for Brock Purdy, Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga, plus a likely extension for George Kittle, San Francisco has their work cut out for them financially this offseason.
Give Samuel credit, he knew once his friend and teammate Aiyuk set such a high bar last offseason with his new deal it was highly unlikely the 49ers would pay both a combined $55 million a season long term for the duo. He came to camp as a professional and in shape in 2024, but with offensive injuries to Aiyuk and Christian McCaffery especially, Samuel’s short comings were further exposed. He’s not a precise route runner and is better on quick hitters in space with his run after the catch ability. That spigot was shut off with all the players out and the defensive focus on numero uno. Opposing teams knew exactly what was happening when he was in the backfield too, the element of surprise on those plays has long since faded.
Deebo wants out or the 49ers were going to trade or cut him anyway, semantics. Either way as I’ve been saying for months, Deebo will soon be a former 49er. Question now is does he have any value left?
Samuel is an interesting case study. He’s not your typical wide receiver. Last season there were reports the 49ers were offered as high a 3rd round pick for Deebo. Teams thought rightfully so San Francisco wouldn’t invest $30 million in Aiyuk, a new deal for Jennings and a first round pick in Ricky Pearsall and keep Samuel around. Now in the last year of his deal, I would think the highest possibility is more like a 4th or 5th round pick that could adjust to a 3rd rounder based on Samuel’s 2025 performance. Davante Adams was traded from the Raiders to the Jets at the deadline last season for a conditional 3rd rounder and I can’t see Samuel going for more.
TEAMS WHO HAVE A WR NEED GOING INTO 2025:
BILLS: Amari Cooper wasn’t good after his trade from the Browns at the deadline and he’s a free agent. Rookie Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and the shoeless Mack Hollins round out the Buffalo group. Deebo would like it because the Bills win, the 49ers would like it because he would be in the AFC.
PATRIOTS: Need more targets for promising second-year quarterback Drake Maye. New England was willing to give Aiyuk the biggest contract last offseason, but Brandon said no thanks. The worst current wide receiver group in the NFL.
RAVENS: Always looking to add to their WR room and John Harbaugh likes tough receivers like Deebo. They could design packages for him, which is what Samuel needs.
BENGALS: Tee Higgins is a free agent and likely to leave. Joe Burrow would need a number two target behind Ja’Marr Chase.
STEELERS: Badly wanted Aiyuk last offseason and reportedly inquired about Deebo. George Pickens is talented by inconsistent, Van Jefferson and Mike Williams are free agents.
TEXANS: I’d call them the favorites. Head Coach Demeco Ryans is there, Nico Collins is their only real threat. Stephon Diggs isn’t coming back and Tank Dell will miss most, if not all of next season with an injury. Houston needs receivers badly and they want to win now.
CHIEFS: The Super Bowl runner ups, have a top three of DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown and second year blur Xavier Worthy. Patrick Mahomes needs more and Andy Reid could figures out ways to maximize what Samuel does best. Would 49ers deal him to Kansas City?
RAIDERS: Pete Carroll knows what Deebo can do having played against him all those years in Seattle. Jakobi Meyers had a solid year and Brock Bowers is a stud at Tight End, but Las Vegas traded Davante Adams at the deadline and needs to replace him. Would the 49ers and Mark Davis make a trade? The bowl cut is not a red and gold fan and may hold it against the 49ers even if it makes sense for his team.
CHARGERS: Another team who makes a ton of sense and I’d put near the top of teams on the Deebo list. Jim Harbaugh loves tough, physical players and would find a way to use Samuel effectively. Outisde of rookie Ladd McConkey, Los Angles has a weak WR crew.
COWBOYS: I don’t know if the 49ers would ever make a major trade with Jerry Jones after San Francisco gave titles to Dallas by moving Charles Haley there, but Deebo fits the Cowboys needs. Dallas has no offensive playmakers outside of CeeDee Lamb.
COMMANDERS: Aiyuk wanted to play with his former college teammate Jayden Daniels in Washington, so I’m sure he has been talking the rookie of the year up to Deebo. Washington has Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown was good in the playoffs for one of the best offenses in the NFL. It would come down to what Adam Peters, now the GM in DC thinks of Samuel, who he help draft when he was with the 49ers in 2019.
FALCONS: Outside of Drake London, Atlanta doesn’t have much in the room. A bit of a homecoming for Samuel. It’s likely second-year rocket armed Michael Penix will be the quarterback for the Falcons in 2025 and they’ll want to upgrade his weapons.
SEAHAWKS: Tyler Lockett is likely moving on in 2025 and DK Metcalf could as well with one-year left on his deal, but the 49ers are not trading anything of value to the Pacific Northwest.
WHERE’S DEEBO GOING?:
Moving Deebo to the AFC would be the top priority unless some team in the NFC blew the 49ers away with an offer, which isn’t likely. Deebo would have to restructure his deal after a down season and one of the reasons I didn’t like paying top dollar for Brandon Aiyuk last offseason is wide receiver is one of the easiest positions to fill in the league. The draft brings in a handful of solid players at the position every year, which is why there wasn’t a huge market for Brandon Aiyuk last offseason and BA is a much better player at this point of his career. The 49ers will likely have to settle for at best a fourth round pick that could become a third based on performance.
5 MOST LIKELY TO BE IN ON DEEBO:
1- Texans: In the AFC, Ryans is there and they have a need behind Nico Collins, plus they want to win now.
2- Commanders: They might have to overpay because it’s the NFC and that’s not likely, but their GM Adam Peters was 49ers VP of player personnel when Deebo was drafted by the 49ers in 2019. They have a need opposite Terry McLaurin on a rising team in the NFC. 49ers would not want to send him there, but they may not have a choice if they want something in return.
3- Steelers: They’ve already had a ton of dialogue over Aiyuk and it nearly happened, why not replace the talk with Deebo? They have a big need and are in the AFC.
4- Chargers: Nothing at the position outside of last year’s second round pick Ladd McConkey. Former first rounder Quentin Johnston has been a bust and Justin Herbert needs targets. Jim Harbaugh loves tough guys.
5- Patriots: New England might be desperate enough to give the 49ers something above market for Samuel. He may not want to go there, but they have the worst WR room in the NFL and need weapons for a young quarterback in Drake Maye. Money talks and Deebo would listen.