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Another big-ticket wide receiver in the NFL wants to be traded away from the team that drafted him. That player is San Francisco 49ers receiver, Deebo Samuel.
“Breaking News: I just spoke to wide receiver Deebo Samuel — and he told me that he has asked the 49ers to trade him,” ESPN insider Jeff Darlington wrote on Twitter on April 20. “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.”
The trade request was officially asked of San Francisco in early April, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport also said that the 49ers want to give Samuel a long-term extension that makes him one of the highest-paid players at his position. However, Samuel wasn’t willing to negotiate. Why? Because the reason Samuel wants out of San Francisco has to do with his usage on the field.
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“If you look at last year, [Deebo Samuel] wasn’t used out of the backfield hardly at all, then the last 11 games, 21 percent out of the backfield compared to just two percent previously, 59 carries overall. That’s a lot of hits for a wide receiver to take, and it sounds like Deebo Samuel has questions about whether or not that is something he can do for the long term of his career,” Rapoport said on NFL Total Access on April 20.
Rapoport said that the teams to watch in the Samuel sweepstakes are the Chiefs, New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions, “among several others”. However, Rapoport also said that Samuel will be “extremely expensive” for any team that wants to trade for him.
Chiefs’ Level of Interest in Samuel
With all signs pointing towards Kansas City drafting a wide receiver in the early rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft in an attempt to replace Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs being linked to Samuel makes sense. However, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports quieted the crowd that believes Kansas City will make a move for Samuel before the draft, which begins on April 28.
“When requesting a trade (like Deebo Samuel has, though not guaranteeing move) you always garner feedback from the market. Regarding the #Chiefs, a league source told me while Samuel is regarded as highly talented, the team is not actively pursing him currently*, focused on Draft,” Anderson wrote.
Anderson’s report doesn’t entirely rule out the chance of Kansas City trading for Samuel. How the draft pans out for the Chiefs could impact their level of interest in him, however.
Twitter Users React to Chiefs Being Linked to Samuel
Twitter users reacted to the idea of the Chiefs trading for Samuel.
“The Chiefs weren’t willing to give Tyreek Hill $70M+ in guarantees, but they’re enticing for Deebo Samuel,” Matt Verderame of Fansided wrote. “They have 12 picks, a clear need and Andy Reid would be in heaven with Deebo’s skill set. The big question is how does KC view paying a 26-yr-old WR compared to 28-yr-old?”
“Watch somehow the Chiefs turn all the draft capital they got for Hill into Deebo Samuel,” Ryan Dyrud of LA Football Network wrote.
“Just had a thought! Watch Deebo Samuels end up in KC then the chiefs draft Jameson Williams,” another user wrote.
“If Deebo Samuel is a packer I might end it all.. him going to chiefs would be CHILLS though,” another user wrote.
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