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Deebo Samuel Rumors: 49ers WR Still Wants Trade, Knows It Could Drag for a While
May 1, 2022
The San Francisco 49ers didn't trade Deebo Samuel during the 2022 NFL draft, but the wide receiver still wants to be moved, even if it could take a long time this offseason, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Fowler provided the latest on the situation Sunday on SportsCenter:
"I guess Odell Beckham Jr. is out here breaking news, saying Deebo Samuel is going to the Patriots, I guess that was a joke. I never got the sense the Patriots were involved, that his price tag would be too rich. 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."
Odell Beckham Jr. tweeted that Samuel was traded to the New England Patriots on Saturday, but it was quickly denied by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
"Nothing was remotely close to what we thought was fair to us or the 49ers," San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said about Samuel trade talks during the draft.
Samuel officially requested a trade last month, via Jeff Darlington of ESPN, after coming off the best year of his career. The wideout was named first-team All-Pro after totaling 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns from scrimmage.
The versatility made him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NFL, but the usage apparently was also a major issue for Samuel.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the receiver was frustrated with his excessive carries out of the backfield.
Samuel remains under contract for one more season, but it's clear he wants to play elsewhere in 2022.
The problem is many teams already solved their issues at wideout over the weekend.
The Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles traded for Marquise Brown and A.J. Brown, respectively. The New York Jets (Garrett Wilson), Atlanta Falcons (Drake London), Tennessee Titans (Treylon Burks) and New Orleans Saints (Chris Olave) were arguably the most receiver-needy teams in the draft, but all took a player in the first round.
Potential contenders like the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens could still use help at the position, but it might be tougher to work out a trade with draft completed. Future draft picks carry much more uncertainty, especially for teams not expected to have high picks in 2023.