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Deebo Samuel drops bomb on 49ers, requests to be traded

By Robert Morrison

Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) runs for a touchdown after catching a pass in the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) runs for a touchdown after catching a pass in the third quarter against the Dallas Cowboys in a NFC Wild Card playoff football game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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Deebo Samuel, the 49ers’ wide receiver was evidently not using his social media wipe as a bargaining ploy, as he has officially asked for a trade.

Deebo Samuel, the All-Pro wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, has requested a trade from the team that drafted him, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington.

The request comes on the heels of a rather abrupt and Niners-related wipe of Samuel’s social media accounts and speculation around the league that the Niners and their star wideout were not close in terms of negotiating a long-term contract.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network confirmed the stall in the contract talks, noting that the 49ers have been “aware of Deebo’s feelings for a while” and that the trade request came in “more than a week ago.”

Rapaport also suggested that money wasn’t the only issue at hand, but Samuel’s usage. Whether that alludes to last season or the expectation moving forward remains to be seen:

The timing of the move by Samuel is somewhat problematic, with the 2022 NFL Draft just over a week away and teams starting to lock in their draft boards, but that doesn’t mean that the Niners can’t get a decent haul for the disgruntled receiver. Take a look at recent trades of former Packers receiver, Davante Adams, to the Raiders or former Chiefs pass-catcher Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins as proof of that.

But the more troubling part of this whole thing is that Samuel is coming off his best season as a pro, during which he was an integral part of the 49ers’ turning their season around and making a run to the NFC Championship game before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champions Los Angeles Rams.

On top of that, general manager John Lynch seemed to be confident that a deal for Samuel, along with EDGE Nick Bosa, was going to get done this offseason. And while it’s still possible that the Niners opt not to honor Samuel’s request, one thing is for certain: The line in the sand has been drawn.

The question is whether the 49ers will want to strike now or choose to see if they can quell the fire and work something out with the star receiver.

At this moment, 49ers fans will have to wait and see if Deebo Samuel will be a Niner for a long time after all.

Next. 3 can't-refuse trades 49ers would accept for Deebo Samuel. dark