How 49ers can win a would-be trade for Deebo Samuel

No matter how anyone slices it, the 49ers would suffer a huge loss if they have to trade Deebo Samuel this offseason, but there’s still a way to pull off a win.

In an ideal world, the San Francisco 49ers somehow manage to find a way to mend the relationship with their All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel in the wake of his bombshell trade request last week.

The Niners, poised to be a Super Bowl contender this season, are clearly better with him on the roster than without. And despite having other offensive playmakers to help support second-year quarterback Trey Lance, Samuel’s presence would go a long way towards ensuring they get right back to the NFC Championship game and win it this time.

However, in light of Samuel reportedly telling San Francisco not to bother even making him an extension offer and he wants out anyway, there’s the real possibility the 49ers face no other chance but to lose him via trade.

That’d constitute a loss from the Niners’ vantage point, yes. Teams simply can’t replace a Samuel-like player so easily.

Still, there’s a way San Francisco can still come away with a post-trade victory here.

49ers winning a Deebo Samuel trade would involve a hefty return

OK, so the 49ers aren’t going to trade away Samuel for next to nothing. It’ll take a lucrative, can’t-refuse package to do so.

Perhaps the New York Jets, owners of two top-10 picks in this year’s NFL Draft and two more early selections in Round 2, wind up being the preferred partners. And there are reports Gang Green is willing to send off the No. 10 overall pick to the Niners in exchange for Samuel already.

That’s a start to San Francisco winning a trade, but let’s try making that more lucrative for the win.

How about this deal (thank you, Sports Illustrated’s David Liechty)?

The 49ers get a top-10 selection and then effectively trade into the early stages of Round 2 while also netting an early fourth-rounder.

In a deep wide receiver class (yet again, making such a case for three years in a row), the Niners wouldn’t even have to run to the podium for a wideout at No. 10 overall.

No, they can continue winning the trade for Samuel.

By trading down from that spot.

49ers would wholly win Deebo Samuel trade by moving down from No. 10 overall

There are a ton of different scenarios where San Francisco could potentially trade down from a newly acquired pick at No. 10 overall.

On top of that, there’s no exact science for predicting who’d be interested in trading up or what the cost would be.

However, one team potentially in the market for moving up is the Kansas City Chiefs, who ironically now own the 49ers’ original first-round pick (No. 29 overall) after acquiring it from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Read More: 3 reasons Niners have to trade Deebo Samuel now

The Dolphins picked up No. 29 overall a year ago in the Lance trade.

At any rate, the Chiefs may seek to find Hill’s replacement, and one of the top-end wideouts projected to be long gone after the first 15 selections might be one they’d want to go after.

Again, no exact science here, but here’s a plausible move that’d surely ensure the Niners winning a trade:

In all likelihood, Kansas City’s own first-round pick in 2023 isn’t going to be a high selection, and one can remember San Francisco is without a Round 1 pick next year, too, as part of the Lance deal.

Tacking on another trade-up from late in Round 4 to late in Round 3 would also help give the 49ers a win here.

As hypothetical as it might seem, the Niners could still nevertheless turn a would-be Samuel trade into a winning situation.

Even if it would be hard to see Samuel go.