The San Francisco 49ers have reportedly finalized a significant trade as part of the NFL offseason. According to ESPN, All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel will be moving to the Washington Commanders in 2025. In return, the 49ers are anticipated to receive a fifth-round draft pick for the talented receiver. Earlier this week at the NFL Scouting Combine, 49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed that Samuel had requested a trade, stating that the team intends to “honor” his request.
“He’s asked for a fresh start, and I think we’re going to honor that,” Lynch remarked on Wednesday.
Samuel has spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the 49ers after being selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He achieved first-team All-Pro status and was named to the Pro Bowl after recording a career-high 1,405 receiving yards in the 2021 season. Following that impressive year, Samuel and the 49ers agreed to a three-year contract extension.
During the 2024 season, Samuel missed two games and saw a significant decline in his performance when he was on the field, finishing the year with 670 receiving yards and 136 rushing yards as the 49ers ended the season with a disappointing 6-11 record. Samuel had discussions with head coach Kyle Shanahan about a potential trade during the offseason and later spoke with Lynch.
“Then, he came up and talked with me, and we had a very honest and frank conversation,” Lynch shared. “He told us his reasons. I asked him to sit on it, sleep on it, and we’d do the same. We did, and we told him he could go talk to people.”
The trade will not be official until March 12, marking the beginning of the new league year. While Samuel is likely to have played his final game in a 49ers uniform, the team may also be facing the potential departure of another key player. Lynch acknowledged that other teams have reached out regarding Brandon Aiyuk, who missed 10 games last season due to a torn ACL. He added that the 49ers are open to inquiries about the All-Pro receiver.
“Yeah, that typically happens with really good players,” Lynch noted earlier this week. “I remember, I think two years ago, having similar conversations. You get calls, and you always listen to calls.”
Aiyuk and the 49ers had recently agreed to a four-year contract extension just before the start of the 2024 regular season. Should Aiyuk leave, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, and Jacob Cowing would be the top remaining receivers for the 49ers.