Schefter: All AFC North teams make sense as Deebo Samuel trade partners for 49ers

On Sunday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news that the San Francisco 49ers have permitted wide receiver Deebo Samuel to seek a trade. Any deal would face significant financial hurdles. If the 49ers trade Samuel before June 1, they would incur a dead-cap hit twice the size of his current salary cap figure.

Complicating matters further, Samuel is due a $15.4 million option bonus on March 22.

Schefter appeared on The Pat McAfee Show this week to discuss possible landing spots for Samuel, who reportedly requested a trade during his exit meeting with the team after the season.

The NFL insider named the Pittsburgh Steelers as a potential destination. After all, not only were the Steelers interested in Samuel's teammate, Brandon Aiyuk, last year, but they also reportedly inquired about Samuel. However, Pittsburgh isn't the only landing spot Schefter can envision.

"Think of all the teams that need wide receivers," Schefter said. "There's so many of them, and there's still going to be so much wide receiver movement this offseason."

While Schefter praised the 49ers for maximizing Samuel's unique skill set over the years, the receiver hasn't come close to replicating his stellar 2021 season, when he totaled 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns.

Samuel posted just 806 scrimmage yards this past season and four total touchdowns—career lows aside from an injury-plagued 2020 season.

"I think it's hard to pinpoint right now where Deebo would go," Schefter noted. "Look, I could see him in Pittsburgh. I could see him in Baltimore. I could see him in a lot of places. Like, any of those AFC North teams make sense."

The 49ers have struggled to avoid offseason drama in recent years, and this situation with Samuel can potentially become another unwanted distraction.