San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has requested a trade from the organization, according to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington.
It’s not entirely surprising considering Samuel put a halt to contract negotiations (and proceeded to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram and change his profile picture.)
According to Darlington, he didn’t given any specific reasons for the request only that he’s informed the 49ers organization of his desire to depart the organization.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport shared additional information, explaining that the trade request happened more than a week ago. San Francisco has known of Samuel’s feelings for some time, which is why there haven’t been any contract negotiations.
The trade request came in more than a week ago, and the #49ers have been aware of Deebo’s feelings for a while. This is why there have been no talks. https://t.co/Rl0yC7o47Y
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 20, 2022
The 49ers have been working on a long-term deal for Samuel, but he hasn’t been willing to engage in those. Samuel didn’t cite any specific reason for his trade request, but it doesn’t sound like money is an issue, per Rapoport. Instead, it sounds like he’s more concerned with his usage on offense.
Money is not at the root of the issues for Deebo Samuel, otherwise that could be fixed with a big offer. But there are also issues with how he’s used. https://t.co/ZX7dKR2yik
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 20, 2022
Samuel had a breakout season with the 49ers in 2021, where he earned First-Team All-Pro honors. Samuel had 77 catches for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns. He added 59 rushes for 365 yards and eight scores.
Samuel is entering the final year of his rookie deal, where he’s in for a big payday. Although it doesn’t appear like that’ll happen in San Francisco. But just because Samuel requested a trade doesn’t mean the 49ers have to trade him. Assuming Samuel remains with the team, he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
