The San Francisco 49ers are expected to trade star wide receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason, which could reignite trade talks between the 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers .
According to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network , both the 49ers and Samuel appear to be mutually "at peace" with moving on from on another.
In some ways, such a move was pre-ordained when the 49ers signed fellow wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk last offseason. The move put the 49ers into a significant future salary cap crush. The team has significant free agents in defensive linemen Javon Hargrave , cornerback Charvarius Ward and linebacker Dre Greenlaw , and also will be seeking a contract extension with quarterback Brock Purdy.
Samuel also had a down-turn in his production in 2024, which could accelerate the possibility of him being traded.
49ers wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel celebrate after a touchdown, Sept. 11, 2023 – Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
In 15 games in 2024, Samuel caught 51 of 81 targets for 670 yard and three touchdowns. His 44.7 yards per game was a career low, as the entire 49ers offense struggled with injuries and a downturn in results, despite being loaded up for a Super Bowl run in 2024.
The Steelers nearly traded for Aiyuk last season before he changed his mind at the last moment and re-signed in San Francisco . But the Steelers still have the same need at wide receiver.
Samuel, 29, is a 6-foot, 215-pound wide receiver and was the 49ers' second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. In his six NFL seasons, he's caught 334 passes for 4,792 yards and 22 touchdowns. His best season came in 2021, when he caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns and led the NFL in yards per reception.
Samuel has one season remaining on his contract with the 49ers. He is due $17.55 million. A trade before June 1 would cause a $31 million dead cap hit for the 49ers in 2025.
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