Prior to the NFL Draft, speculation surrounding Deebo Samuel’s future with the San Francisco 49ers was rampant. Samuel has kept relatively quiet since his desire to leave the 49ers was made public, but rumours about his discontent regarding his role within the team have been an ever present part of the NFL landscape this offseason. Those rumblings have since quieted down post-draft. So does that mean there’s a chance Samuel stays in San Francisco?
The give and take dynamic is a complex tradeoff in the relationship between a player and a team. Both parties have wants and needs, and their demands are often self serving on both fronts. The drama between Samuel and the 49ers is indicative of a scenario where a player is unhappy with the demands of the team – at least, if the rumours are to be believed.
Samuel’s 2021 season was his best in the NFL since being drafted in the second round in the 2019 NFL Draft. He caught 77 passes for 1405 yards, the fifth-most in the NFL, adding six receiving touchdowns. As a receiver, he was capable of making big plays by stretching defenses with his speed, but also with his ability to run after the catch – his 784 yards after the catch were the second-most in the NFL, behind only Cooper Kupp. He also led the NFL in yards per reception.
It wasn’t just as a receiver where Samuel made his mark, though. Head coach Kyle Shanahan sought to utilise his unique build by having Samuel take handoffs out of the backfield. The results? Well, they were pretty good as well. Samuel carried the ball 59 times to the tune of 6.2 yards per attempt, racking up 8 rushing touchdowns in the process. He proved that he can run through contact and make just as many big plays on the ground as he could through the air.
Samuel was the driving force for the 49ers as they made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game, and he didn’t start regularly carrying the ball out the backfield until Week 9. His dynamism was unparalleled but, despite his success, the rumours of Samuel wanting out of San Francisco spread like wildfire until the draft. Would he be traded on draft night?
No.
The 49ers held firm on their intention to keep Samuel. They reportedly rejected offers from the New York Jets and Detroit Lions during the draft, per the Athletic. At this point, it’s hard to envision a trade happening any time soon. However, considering Samuel’s contract expires at the end of the 2022 season, sooner is the only moment that makes sense. If the 49ers were confident that they couldn’t re-sign Samuel to a new contract, they probably would have tried to expunge every bit of value they could have by trading him.
Technically, they still can. Just because there isn’t much news regarding Samuel doesn’t mean the trail has gone cold. Talks could be happening right now, but from a fan’s perspective, no news might be good news. Samuel’s 49ers teammate, Fred Warner, is confident that he’ll stay with the team, and that’s also a good sign.
The 49ers won’t let Samuel walk for free at the end of the season. So the options are to find common ground, figure out how his role will look, and to re-sign him to a mega-extension, or to trade him to a suitor that will. Both are viable options.
There will always be teams interested in the services of Samuel, whether they view him as a wide receiver or a do-it-all swiss army knife. The Chiefs retooled their wide receiver corps in the offseason, but adding a top-tier talent would really negate the loss of Tyreek Hill. The Miami Dolphins have also been seen as a potential destination as well. Their interest in Samuel won’t subside now that the draft is over. If they want him, they’ll go get him.
Just because we haven’t heard anything for a while, doesn’t mean this saga is over. It won’t be over until Samuel signs an extension or he’s traded to another team. Anything could happen at this point, though the 49ers should still be confident they can retain Samuel for this year and beyond.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @ThomasValenfine