Getty The Cowboys have had a quiet offseason.
It did not take long for disgruntled San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel to be linked to the Dallas Cowboys, but the receiver played a role in heating up those rumors. Shortly after reports surfaced that Samuel requested a trade, the playmaker liked a tweet that featured himself wearing a Cowboys uniform alongside CeeDee Lamb.
“Man you look awesome wearing blue and silver with a star on your helmet! @19promblemz,” Twitter user @Shane_2104 said in the liked tweet tagging Samuel.
Samuel has since no longer liked the tweet, but the wideout clearly would welcome a trade to Dallas. ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported on April 20, 2022 that the wideout “asked the 49ers to trade him.”
“Breaking News: I just spoke to wide receiver Deebo Samuel — and he told me that he has asked the 49ers to trade him,” Darlington tweeted. “He did not want to discuss specific reasons behind his request, but he has indeed let the 49ers know his desire to leave the organization. More to come.”
Here is a look at the tweet that has Cowboys fans buzzing.
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Samuel Is Frustrated With How the 49ers Utilized Him: Report
From @NFLTotalAccess: The #49ers are already getting calls from teams wanting to trade for WR Deebo Samuel. A look at how we got here.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Samuel is not only seeking a new contract but is frustrated by his usage with the Niners. Rapoport reported that Samuel’s trade request came “more than a week ago.”
“The trade request came in more than a week ago, and the 49ers have been aware of Deebo’s feelings for a while,” Rapoport said in a series of April 20 tweets. “This is why there have been no talks. The 49ers have been looking to make offers for a long-term deal with WR Deebo Samuel, but he’s been unwilling to engage. This is why. Unclear where this goes from here. But Samuel wanting out is the latest in big-name WR drama. 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.”
Samuel broke his silence about the trade request only to later delete the tweet.
“Reporters jobs is to make stories only people know the truth about the situation is 49ers @ToryDandy [agent] and Deebo Samuel,” Samuel said in the now-deleted tweet.
Samuel Had 1,770 Total Yards & 14 Touchdowns in 2021
Deebo Samuel has asked the 49ers to TRADE HIM 👀 (per @JeffDarlington)
Samuel was one of the best NFL receivers last season notching 77 catches for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns in 16 appearances which earned him an All-Pro nomination. One of the points of contention appears to be Samuel’s usage in the running game as the playmaker also had 59 carries for 365 yards and eight touchdowns.
This is not the first time a star player has expressed interest in the Cowboys and more times than not the individual does not end up in Dallas. The Samuel rumors are intriguing given the Cowboys now have an Amari Cooper sized hole at receiver. Yet, would the Cowboys be willing to trade significant draft capital for Samuel as well as give the receiver a lucrative long-term contract extension?
Samuel is entering the final season of his four-year, $7.2 million rookie deal and is slated to have a $3.9 million salary in 2022. The Cowboys have insisted that trading Cooper was about the wideout living up to his contract as much as it was his $20 million annual salary. Yet, with star receivers now earning $30 million per year, the chances of Dallas trading for Samuel remain slim given their current salary cap woes.