Trading wide receiver Deebo Samuel sounds unthinkable. The wide receiver contributed 1,770 total yards of offense and 15 total touchdowns—one was even a passing touchdown—for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021. He proved to be the team's best offensive weapon. So why would anyone consider parting with such a valuable asset?
Samuel wants a contract extension. The 49ers want to keep Samuel. It won't be cheap, though. On Monday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Samuel would not participate in the team's on-field offseason program activities under his current contract. Whether that means the receiver will skip out altogether on reporting to Santa Clara with his teammates on Tuesday remains to be seen.
Some feel that if San Francisco doesn't believe it can lock Samuel up to a long-term deal, they should try to get what they can for the versatile player now, while his stock is high. It sounds like FS1's Colin Cowherd is in that camp.
"I would strongly consider trading Deebo Samuel. He's banged up a lot and his style isn't built for longevity."
— @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/cj41nBTIWK
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) April 18, 2022
"With Deebo Samuel, I would strongly consider—and it would be hard—I would consider trading him. And I like him," Cowherd said on Monday (h/t Daniel Bates of The Spun). "He's banged up a lot. His style isn't built for longevity. He once came into camp out of shape."
Cowherd acknowledges what Samuel meant to the 49ers in 2021. Thanks in part to the wide receiver's breakout season, the team made it to the NFC Championship Game for the second time in three years. However, while Samuel amassed 1,405 receiving yards in 2021, he totaled just 1,193 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns in his first two seasons, missing 10 games during that span due to injuries.
"He is incredibly valuable," Cowherd continued. "I'm not sure you can duplicate him in the draft. But again, the Niners spend a lot of money on offense, on [Jimmy] Garoppolo, Trent Williams, George Kittle. And if you add Deebo Samuel, those are bodies not built to last forever, and with some injuries."
"So as much as I like Deebo Samuel, and I really do—he is just a unique talent—I would test the market. ... It hurts. You lose sleep. But I'd do it."