According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the San Francisco 49ers are trading wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round draft pick. The trade will become official on March 12, when the new league year begins.
Notably, Commanders general manager Adam Peters previously served as the 49ers' assistant general manager. By trading Samuel before June 1, San Francisco will absorb a significant $31.55 million salary cap hit in 2025.
The first 2025 off-season NFL trade: San Francisco has agreed to send standout wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
Like any trade agreed to now, it cannot be processed until the new league year begins…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 1, 2025
Matthew Berry of NBC Sports recently reported that a trade was imminent. "Deebo Samuel is going to get traded within the next couple of days," Berry shared while at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "Not released. He's going to get traded, and it's going to happen in the next few days."
Samuel, 29, requested a trade in January, with the 49ers permitting him to explore options.
"It was a hard conversation to have with [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] because of the relationship that we have," Samuel said on February 9. "But I have to do what's best. I'm more than thankful for the Niners giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, but now I think it's best that we find another team."
Samuel broke out in 2021, racking up 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns. However, his 2024 season fell well short of expectations. He managed just 806 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns—his lowest-ever output, aside from an injury-plagued 2020 campaign.
"He's asked for a fresh start, and I think we're going to honor that," general manager John Lynch said on February 26 at the NFL Scouting Combine. "I don't like seeing great players [leave], and he is a great player. He's, I think, often, one of my favorite draft picks in my time. This guy's just a—he makes plays, and he makes game-changing plays."
This isn't the first time Samuel has sought a trade. In 2022, he also sought to play elsewhere while at a contract standoff with the team. That dispute ultimately ended with a new deal.
The 49ers drafted Samuel out of South Carolina in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2021 but has seen his production fall in subsequent seasons.
"There's a lot of love there," Lynch said. "There's a lot of respect there. There's a lot of shared experiences. So to let that go, that's difficult."