Getty 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel
One thing we know for sure when it comes to the 49ers wide receiver situation is that no trade of either star Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk is imminent. The NFL draft was an inflection point for that, and if it were to happen ahead of OTAs and training camp, that was the window. Though no move was made, another thing we know for sure is that folks will continue to parse the question of whether a 49ers wide receiver needs to go and, if so, which one?
So, buckle up. The Deebo vs. Brandon debate is still in its early stages.
According to SI.com insider Albert Breer, though it appeared that Aiyuk would hit the trade block in the weeks after the Super Bowl, now, the more likely to be dealt is Samuel. Breer suggested that the “usual suspects” from the Shanahan coaching tree should be expected to have interest in Samuel.
But interestingly, Breer singled out one team to which that the 49ers would not deal Samuel—the Rams, coached by Kyle Shanahan’s good friend Sean McVay.
49ers Could Get Takers Among Kyle Shanahan Associates
Here’s what Breer wrote on where the 49ers might be willing to send Samuel, in a mailbag article this week:
“San Francisco won’t trade him to the Los Angeles Rams, and I can’t imagine they’d send him to the Green Bay Packers, either.
“The Atlanta Falcons, with OC Zac Robinson, might make some sense. The New York Jets could, too, as a piece for the receiver group, and for some depth behind Breece Hall at tailback. And a reunion with Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins could be fun.
The Packers are coached by Matt LaFleur, a former Shanahan quarterbacks coach, and the Jets are coached by former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. McDaniel had been the 49ers offensive coordinator.
Presumably, Breer has the Rams as a Samuel no-go because they share a division with the 49ers, and would nix the Packers because they’re a budding top NFC contender. But the Falcons, with Kirk Cousins in place, could be in the NFC mix, too.
Deebo Samuel Is an NFL ‘Luxury Item’
Samuel is an unusual player by NFL standards, a wide receiver who is capable of making big catches and running precise routes, but one who also plays like a running back—he is among the best wideouts when it comes to running through contact.
He plays so much like a running back, in fact, that Shanahan often uses him as such. Samuel had 37 rushing attempts last season in 15 games, and has averaged 3.1 attempts per game in the past three seasons, with 16 rushing touchdowns and an average of 6.0 yards per carry.
Because Aiyuk is more of a traditional receiver than Samuel, Breer says it is more likely the 49ers keep him. Samuel, Breer said, is a “luxury item.”
“I think they’re probably going to try to extend Aiyuk and I think Deebo Samuel is available,” Breer told Colin Cowherd of “The Herd.”
“I think Aiyuk is viewed as more the true No. 1 receiver there, a guy who is a more natural receiver, and Deebo Samuel, as good as he is, as unique as he is, might be seen as a little bit of a luxury item. So, I think the plan for now is to keep all those guys on the roster together and make one more all-in run with the entire group, but if you ask me who’s going to be on the Niners roster longer, whether the change happens now or a year from now, I’d say Aiyuk is probably going to be there longer than Deebo Samuel.”