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Fowler: 'Never Got the Sense' Patriots Eyed Deebo Samuel Trade Despite Odell's Tweet
May 1, 2022
Odell Beckham Jr. probably doesn't have a future in the news-breaking game.
That said, his trolling game is on point.
Beckham briefly sent social media into a frenzy Saturday afternoon when he "broke" the news Deebo Samuel had been traded to the New England Patriots. The only problem was Samuel hadn't been traded and the Patriots are not even considered a contender for his services.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler broke down the situation Sunday on SportsCenter, saying the Samuel situation could be a "long process."
"I never got the sense the Patriots were involved, that his price tag would be too rich," Fowler said. "But right now, the teams who were involved or that inquired about Samuel addressed their needs at receiver in the draft. So this could be a long process. I'm told Deebo still is dug in, still wants to be traded, but knows this could drag out for a while."
While Samuel has made it clear he wants out, the 49ers seem equally dug in on their stance that the All-Pro is not available without a massive haul. The Niners watched on as the Tennessee Titans traded A.J. Brown and the Baltimore Ravens shipped out Marquise Brown on Thursday night, staying steadfast in their desire to repair the relationship.
"I can't ever imagine wanting to move on from Deebo," 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters coming into the draft. "You put yourself through the exercises of, even though we don't have a first-round pick, you have to be thorough in this process and prepare for everything. So, you go through it and do that. He's just too good of a player ... We've got nothing but love for him and nothing but appreciation for what he's brought, but you just don't let guys like that walk. So, I can't envision a scenario where we would [trade him]."
Samuel reportedly grew frustrated with his role as the 2021 season progressed, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. After emerging as one of the NFL's top pass-catchers in the first half of the season, the 49ers used Samuel more regularly as a running back in the second half. He carried the ball 53 times as a runner and made only 28 receptions in the second half of the regular season. The trend continued in the playoffs, with Samuel carrying the ball 27 times and making 10 catches.
While his dynamic usage arguably led to his breakout 2021 numbers, it's also fair to wonder whether that type of wear and tear could lead to injuries. Running backs are also considered far more fungible talents than wide receivers, which could hurt Samuel's market when it comes to negotiating a long-term contract. He's set to make just under $4 million in the 2022 season, which is the last year of his contract.
That said, it doesn't appear any type of negotiations will transpire anytime soon.