2-17-2023 Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers running away from Dallas Cowboys defenders.
As the San Francisco 49ers prepare to enter the 2023 NFL calendar year, building a better team has to be priority number one for John Lynch. But could the 49ers do some addition by subtraction, shipping out a star player for draft compensation to fill out the roster moving forward? According to an NFL talent evaluator who talked to J-Stew of 98.5 “The Sports Hub” in Boston, that might just be the case.
J-Stew: Deebo Samuel. I heard the Patriots, I got a text message from an NFL talent evaluator that the Patriots are sniffing around Deebo Samuel.
Jim Murray: Well this is someone they should be sniffing around, you know, as part of “Bedard’s master five-point plan” that he talked about yesterday. Like they need a weapon, right? So, I think if you’re like me, you have some questions as to whether or not the Patriots can find a wide receiver in the draft given their recent drafting of that position. Deebo Samuel is one of the most versatile weapons in the league. Like this is a true weapon, as a running backand wide receiver. The guy can do it all. And look what he’s done to elevate that offense with an “ehhh” kind of quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo. You have got an “ehhh” quarterback here in my opinion with Mac Jones. You get (Samuel) here that absolutely elevates your offense.
Did a talent evaluator actually hear that the Patriots are sniffing around Samuel? It’s impossible to know; teams make calls all the time, and unless someone either leaks it or a deal gets done, the outside world is rarely privy to it. But with 11 draft picks to fill out their roster according to Niners Nation – three in the third round, three in the fifth round, one in the sixth round, and three in the seventh round – and a little over $8 million in cap space at the moment according to Over the Cap, Lynch and company will already have to rack their brains in order to add premium talent to one of the best teams in the NFL. It’s hard to see how trading Samuel, one of the team’s best players, would help that proposition.
Understanding Greg Bedard’s Five-Step Plan
In Murray’s response to J-Stew’s comments, he mentioned “Greg Bedard’s master five-point plan,” but who is Bedard, and what is his plan? Well, Bedard is the founder and editorial director of the Boston Sports Journal, and his plan, at least in his own eyes, includes the five steps needed to “rapidly improve the New England Patriots.”
5. Draft a QB to Develop – though the Patriots already have Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe under contract, Bedard would like to see New England add another developmental guy in the draft.
4. Draft Broderick Jones in the 1st round – with both tackles set to become free agents, Bedard would like to see the Pats draft Broderick Jones from Georgia in the first round.
3. Belichick has to Evolve at Linebacker – Broderick feels the Patriots’ linebackers are too old-school and would like to see the team pivot to more athletic, coverage-focused players in the middle instead of down-hill thumpers like Jahlani Tavai.
2. Find a Good Weapon (on Offense) – this is where Samuel comes in. After failing to add impact receivers in the draft or free agency since Tom Brady left, Broderick would like to see the Patriots target a true difference-maker.
1. Get a #1 Cornerback – Broderick would like to see the Patriots trade for a number one cornerback, with Jalen Ramsey pegged as his preferred player.
Trading Deebo Samuel Doesn’t Make Financial Sense
Would the Patriots love to add a player like Samuel to their roster, especially with Jones on a rookie contract? Probably so, but it’s hard to see a path where a deal is financially feasible for the 49ers, as trading Samuel would leave the team with an additional cap hit of roughly $19.79 million, according to Over the Cap, if he was traded before June-1, and a meager savings of just $2 million if moved after the first of June.
After turning down good first-round picks for Samuel’s services in 2022, it’s even harder to imagine the Patriots coming with an offer that entices Lynch enough to make a deal in 2023, especially considering they have the 14th pick in the 2023 NFL draft.