Don’t look now, but San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel has scrubbed the team from his social media accounts.
Sometimes that is the morning star to a player’s departure from a franchise, and other times it is akin to a child pouting before accepting that, indeed, Mom can make burgers at home and there is no need to wait in line at the drive-thru window for a phthalates-ridden burger.
If Samuel wants to trigger his departure from the 49ers, the Houston Texans should consider what it would take to add a dynamic perimeter player to their roster.
According to Kyle Madson from the Niners Wire, part of what is making the former 2019 second-round pick hard to value is his position flex. Do the 49ers pay him as a receiver or as a running back?
First, Samuel’s positional value is impossible to determine because of his dual contributions as a wide receiver and running back. Paying him based on his value as a pass catcher takes his eight rushing scores off the table. Paying him as a runner takes his 1,400 receiving yards off the table. He should probably be paid among the top receivers in the league, and it stands to reason he’d want a little more sprinkled on because of his rushing ability.
Whether it is a pass-catcher or a ball carrier, Houston can afford the contract with an estimated $127.95 million in salary cap space in 2023.
The price that Houston would have to truly consider is the compensation package sent to San Francisco. If the 49ers are willing to take the standard first and a third plus any other late-round picks, it might be worth looking into to give offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton an intriguing wideout to work with. If the price is at least two first-round picks and a day two pick, the Texans should pass as that affects their chances to assemble a package to take the next franchise quarterback in the 2023 or 2024 drafts.
Don’t forget the New England Patriots hosted Samuel for a pre-draft visit ahead of the 2019 draft. General manager Nick Caserio was the Patriots’ director of player personnel then and got an up close look at Samuel. If he believes Samuel is worth the price, it could make sense.
