A look at three possible trade packages that could make sense for Samuel

One of the first dominoes to fall this offseason came out of the Bay Area when the San Francisco 49ers permitted star wide receiver Deebo Samuel to seek a trade. Samuel’s future with the Niners has been up in the air for quite a while as murmurings of a possible trade were tossed around leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft. While no deal came to fruition at that juncture, rubber is set to meet the road with this latest and likely final chapter of his time with the organization.

As for Samuel’s market, that will be a fascinating story to follow. Even as he’s well-regarded as one of the more versatile playmakers in the league and a former first-team All-Pro talent, he is entering his age 29 season and coming off a down year in 2024. In 15 games played, Samuel caught 51 of his 81 targets for 670 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown. Those 806 total yards from scrimmage were the second lowest of his career, only exceeding his 2020 campaign, where he was limited to seven games.

On top of that, Samuel is entering the final year of his contract in 2025, so whatever team acquires him may also need to extend him, which further clouds what he could fetch on the trade market.

Below, we’ll examine three possible landing spots and blueprint a potential trade that could make sense for all parties involved.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

• 49ers get: 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 122)
• Steelers get: Deebo Samuel

It’s no secret the Steelers are in the market for a wide receiver. In fact, these two teams nearly executed a deal for Brandon Aiyuk last season, reportedly agreeing to the parameters of the trade before the receiver decided to say with San Francisco. While that deal didn’t work out, it showed that the two sides are quite comfortable negotiating, so why not pick the phone back up? As for the fourth-round pick compensation, ESPN surmised that a Day 3 pick may be what Samuel ultimately fetches on the trade market. Getting a selection just outside the top 100 would be a solid return for San Francisco. However, the elephant in the room could be Samuel’s desire to ultimately go to Pittsburgh given the franchise’s current uncertainty at quarterback with Russell Wilson and Justin Fields set to hit free agency.

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2. Denver Broncos

• 49ers get: 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 120)
• Broncos get: Deebo Samuel

Samuel may have his eyes set on the Broncos, judging how the receiver spoke about the organization earlier this offseason. He told Bleacher Report that Denver could be a team on the rise but needs “a couple more pieces” to take the next step. Could he be one of those pieces? The Broncos could use another pass catcher to complement Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr., and Samuel would be a fascinating chess piece for Sean Payton at the “joker’ position. Given Samuel’s prowess to work as a traditional receiver and his ability to line up in the backfield, Payton could have a field day with him in his offense.

The one aspect of this trade that could give the Broncos pause is the massive gap it would create on their draft board. If they decided to ship out their top Day 3 pick to San Francisco for Samuel, they’d pick at No. 85 overall in the third round and then not pick again until No. 189 in the sixth round, as their picks are currently laid out. If they believe Samuel is the difference-maker to continue their ascent with Bo Nix, however, it could be worth the gamble.

3. New England Patriots

• 49ers get: 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 107)
• Patriots get: Deebo Samuel

The fourth-round pick is a popular price tag for Samuel as it mirrors prior deals that we use as a baseline in these hypothetical trades. For instance, the Bears traded a fourth-round pick (No. 110) to the Los Angeles Chargers last offseason to acquire receiver Keenan Allen. So, we have the Patriots following suit by shipping out their fourth-rounder to land Samuel, a player who has been on the team’s radar dating back to when he first came into the league. Samuel would bolster a receiver room that has been starved of top talent for years and could prove to be a go-to target for rising second-year quarterback Drake Maye. New England has the most cap space in the league this offseason, so a trade for Samuel wouldn’t preclude them from making other necessary moves to improve the roster and even adding more pass-catching help. As for the 49ers, this would be their most ideal outcome out of the three proposed deals, with the Patriots pick coming near the top of Day 3.