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San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel

The future of the San Francisco 49ers and WR Deebo Samuel’s relationship is murky, but they could sign him to an extension this offseason.

However, it’s not because of his play. There has been plenty of criticism thrown toward Deebo this season, especially after his recent dud performance against the Los Angeles Rams. But SI.com writer Grant Cohn believes that while the 49ers may want to move on from Samuel, his contract has their hands tied.

“The 49ers also could release him with a post -June-1 designation, but that would just mean they would take an $11 million dead cap hit in 2025 and a $20 million dead cap hit in 2026. Not a great option,” Cohn wrote on December 17. “The only way to make Samuel cheaper for 2025 is to give him an extension, as terrible as that may sound. An extension would allow the 49ers to lower Samuel’s cap number significantly next season and more easily release him in 2026.”

Essentially, the Niners have committed a ton of money to Deebo and there’s no real way to escape that. What Cohn suggests would keep him around for another year, get something out of that money rather than burning it, and then set themselves up to part ways before the 2026 season.

Deebo’s Contract Situation

Entering the 2022 season, San Francisco signed Samuel to a three-year, $71.5 million deal. The former South Carolina Gamecock was coming off an All-Pro season and was the team’s top receiver at the time.

But with extensions due for players like WR Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers restructured his deal earlier this season. San Francisco was able to move around significant amounts of money thanks to void years, which spread about $32.75 million over 2026 through 2029.

As things stand, the Niners will be paying Deebo for 4 seasons after his current deal runs out. That’s not unheard of, but an extension would be able to help reallocate that money and let them get out of salary cap hits for a player who’s not even around.

Of course, Samuel could always bounce back too in 2025. That being said, it’s hard to be optimistic after what fans have had to watch this season.

49ers Legend Calls Out Samuel

The latest criticism thrown Deebo’s way came from one of the all-time greats: Jerry Rice. The Niners legend and NFL Hall of Famer appeared on 95.7 The Game on December 16.

Rice had plenty to say about the situation that was positive and encouraging to Samuel, but the base message was clear: players can’t complain about not getting the ball and then have a drop in a big situation.

“That ball that he dropped, after you complain about not getting that many touches, you cannot drop the football. Because everybody is going to get down on you and they’re going to come after you,” Rice said.

It’s a fair take. Samuel asked for the ball, and the 49ers answered. He was targeted 7 times, made only 3 catches for 16 yards. He also only gained 3 yards on 2 carries.

If Samuel can’t be a reliable catch-and-run receiver or an effective rushing option, there’s not much he will bring to the table otherwise.

Evan Reier is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He previously covered sports for the Montana Standard and was a managing editor for Outsider. More about Evan Reier

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