![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="439" width="780" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
T
hey couldn’t trade for Brandon Aiyuk, nor were they able to sign Calvin Ridley in 2024 NFL free agency, but the New England Patriots can still acquire an All-Pro wide receiver by striking an in-season deal for Aiyuk’s San Francisco 49ers’ teammate Deebo Samuel.
Samuel, who has two years left running on a contract worth $71.55 million, is expected to be the subject of trade calls after Aiyuk finally signed his own new deal. Among those who believe Samuel could be on the block is Michael Silver of The San Francisco Chronicle: “The 49ers will get overtures regarding Deebo Samuel between now and the trade deadline. Right now–highly unlikely they’d trade him. Early November? Depends on a lot of things.”
Silver says dealing Samuel is dependant on multiple factors. One of those could be legitimate financial concerns after Aiyuk was awarded a four-year extension worth $120 million on Thursday, August 29, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Balancing the books is the next challenge facing the Niners. Former agent Joel Corry, writing for CBS Sports, believes the task will be easier without both Aiyuk and Samuel on the books: “49ers will save $9,057,529 in salary cap space by trading Samuel in 2025. It’s a $24,200,529 cap number versus $15.143M in dead money.”
If Samuel is available, The Draft Network’s Justin Melo believes the Patriots should trade for the 28-year-old. Melo thinks rookie Drake Maye will have replaced Jacoby Brissett as starting quarterback by November, so the Pats will need more playmakers around the third-overall pick in this year’s draft.
Samuel qualifies because his “ability to remove pressure from his quarterbacks by making plays as a runner and underneath the coverage is a young passer’s best friend.”
Another reason to consider this deal is a low cost. Melo noted “the Patriots wouldn’t part with a first-round selection, but the 49ers wouldn’t get that level of compensation during an in-season trade anyway.”
This may seem like a stretch so soon after Aiyuk decided to stay put in the Bay Area, but there are compelling reasons why Samuel could be trade bait. The reasons why the Patriots should be a suitor are numerous and obvious.
Deebo Samuel Trade Perfect for Patriots
Samuel is perfect for the Patriots because he’s helped unproven and less-heralded quarterbacks in San Francisco. Former Pats’ passer Jimmy Garoppolo went to a Super Bowl largely on the strength of Samuel’s breakout 2019 season.
More recently, Brock Purdy, the last player drafted in 2022, has taken the 49ers to another Super Bowl, with Samuel as one of his key weapons. Samuel could do the same for Maye as a legitimate dual-threat playmaker, able to gash defenses through the air and on the ground.
The wideout specialises in turning short, quick throws into big plays via his ability to amass yards after the catch. This 50-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles from last season is a signature example of what Samuel does best.
Samuel has totalled at least 398 yards after catch every season he’s been in the league, per Pro Football Reference. He’s also averaged over eight yards after catch per reception in each of his five campaigns.
No discussion of Samuel’s traits would be complete without mentioning his value in the running game. He’s sudden and powerful once he takes a handoff, qualities Samuel showcased on this scoring scamper against the Dallas Cowboys in the 2021 playoffs, highlighted by Inside the NFL.
Samuel’s breakaway speed would offer the perfect complement to Rhamondre Stevenson’s brute force in New England’s ground-based attack.
Samuel would do all the things the Patriots signed his former teammate Kendrick Bourne to do in 2021. Yet, Bourne has proved little more than a poor man’s Samuel, leaving the Pats still lacking an elite wide receiver.
Patriots Still Waiting for Elite Receiver
Efforts to secure a top-tier pass-catcher have failed more than once this offseason. As MassLive.com’s Chris Mason put it, “the misses in free agency (Calvin Ridley) and on the trade market (Brandon Aiyuk) need to be acknowledged, too. In both cases, the players didn’t seem to want to come to the Patriots, but at the end of the day, it’s a bottom line business and neither is helping New England’s offense this fall.”
Lacking established talent in the receiver corps means the Patriots must gamble on unproven potential. Wideouts like sophomore slot receiver DeMario Douglas, as well as rookie Ja’Lynn Polk, must quickly make an impact.
The paucity of options also leaves the Pats relying on a brittle third-year pro to step up and exceed expectations. This many question marks about his receivers will only make Maye’s job tougher once he takes the reins from Brissett.
Samuel is the kind of quarterback-friendly target the Patriots will need while they wait on Maye to transform the franchise’s recent fortunes at football’s most important position.
0 Comments