Where will Deebo go?
Deebo Samuel and the 49ers seem to be at an impasse on a new contract, and after some telling social media activity by Samuel and comments by his brother on Facebook, it was reported by ESPN's Jeff Darlington that Samuel does want out of San Francisco.
Breaking News: I just spoke to wide receiver Deebo Samuel — and he told me that he has asked the 49ers to trade him.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 20, 2022
He did not want to discuss specific reasons behind his request, but he has indeed let the 49ers know his desire to leave the organization. More to come.
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A Samuel trade wouldn't be a shock, since this offseason has already played theater to big-time wide receiver movement: Davante Adams made his way from Green Bay to Sin City, while Tyreek Hill left Kansas City for South Beach.
It'll take a haul to land Samuel, though, according to Josina Anderson.
Meanwhile, my understanding is there's feeling currently* within the #Jets org that WR Deebo Samuel won't be moved at all, unless San Francisco gets a King's ransom, per league source.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 20, 2022
If the 49ers wide receiver is the next in line to go, here are four teams to where a deal would make the most sense:
Deebo Samuel landing spots
Jets
If there's a wide receiver to be had, you can bet the Jets will be involved.
New York has been in the market for a legitimate wide receiver since the start of the offseason: They were one of the finalists in the Tyreek Hill sweepstakes and they have been open about being active in trade talks should opportunities present themselves.
MORE: Seahawks reportedly turned down pricey Jets offer for Metcalf
Of any team to potentially trade for Samuel, the Jets arguably make the most sense: They can give Samuel the contract he wants, they can offer the 49ers a good package of draft picks (presumably including one of their second-rounders), and Samuel already has ties to the coaching staff and is familiar with the offensive system.
Chiefs
Kansas City will be searching for a WR1 come the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, if it doesn't find one before then.
As of now, Kansas City has two first-round picks: No. 29 overall and No. 30 overall. Coincidentally, the first pick originally belonged to the 49ers; it was initially sent to Miami as part of the Trey Lance trade in 2021.
The Chiefs didn't come to terms with Hill, so it would be interesting to see what kind of contract offer comes together for Samuel, who presumably wants to be paid like one of the best players in the league.
Money hurdle aside, he'd be an automatic fit for the Chiefs' offense. He would work the intermediate range effectively while Mecole Hardman and Marquez Valdes-Scantling would figure as primarily deep threats. Patrick Mahomes would just have to get the ball in his hands and Samuel would do the rest, anyway.
Falcons
Atlanta will have to do something to mitigate the loss of Calvin Ridley (suspended), but it will likely do it with the No. 8 pick in this year's draft.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith found unique ways to get Cordarrelle Patterson involved in the offense in 2021, and that resulted in Patterson having the best overall season of his career.
Given that Samuel would play a similar role as Patterson, the addition would either suffocate the offense or give Atlanta a seemingly unlimited amount of options for Samuel. A trade would give Marcus Mariota — or whoever's playing quarterback come Week 1 — a bona-fide No. 1 wideout next to Patterson. If nothing else, the offensewould be innovative, if the 2021 results were any indication.
Ravens
The Ravens may feature a run-first offense, but Samuel's versatility (365 rushing yards in 2021) would make for a very interesting fit.
The biggest issue here is cap space: The Ravens have just under $6 million in space remaining this offseason, and that's before any kind of contract that Lamar Jackson would presumably get.
Baltimore can't keep heading into the season without a No. 1 receiver on its roster. Rashod Bateman had a promising rookie season, but Samuel would open up a lot of the field for Baltimore to further grow its offense — if coordinator Greg Roman lets it grow.
