Why the Niners Should not Trade Samuel Deebo.
Today, there have been conflicting reports on whether the San Francisco 49ers will trade receiver Deebo Samuel. It began in the morning with a report that Samuel is “likely” to be dealt on the second day of the NFL draft. Another rumor suggests that Samuel is “highly unlikely” to be traded at any point during the draft.
The reports are irrelevant to me because, regardless of which way the 49ers tilt, they should not trade Samuel. Trading him offers little to assist them achieve their immediate goal of returning to the Super Bowl and finally winning it. By releasing Samuel, the 49ers are indicating that they can run the offense with youngster Ricky Pearsall as the starting receiver opposite Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers would be naive to expect that their offense will not miss a beat when switching from Samuel to Pearsall.
I understand the logic behind taking Samuel’s dead cap hit now to save up space for next season. And it makes sense to stock up on some Day 2 selections as a result of Samuel’s trade, given that the 49ers desperately wanted to restock and reload on young guys. However, I do not believe any of these will benefit them, particularly in 2024. They’ll effectively inflict a self-inflicted wound on themselves, which is poetic given how they lost the majority of their games last season. What Samuel does for the offense is limitless, and it extends beyond his production.
Can Pearsall produce the same results in year one? Absolutely not. The same plays for Samuel that are used for Pearsall will be less effective, and Samuel is an excellent pre-snap decoy with the motions and formations that Kyle Shanahan like running out of. Keep Samuel. It is easier to move on from him after 2024, and it does not require Pearsall to be one of the top players through whom the 49ers should route their offense.