San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel officially requested a trade from the organization on Wednesday, sending ripples through the NFL. With endless possible trade destinations, Samuel will be one of the most monitored players throughout the offseason. Of course, if he doesn't get his wish and the 49ers don't grant him a trade, there's always the possibility that Samuel, as we've seen many other athletes do in recent years, opts to hold out and sit out the season. Well, when it comes to a holding out, there's perhaps no better sage to seek advice from than running back Le'Veon Bell, who weighed in on Samuel's situation via Twitter.
if Debo doesn’t play this year, 1 thing the 49ers gon make sure of is to feed someone else the ball & make it seem as if they didn’t need Debo…when in reality, we all know the truth…but if Debo doesn’t play, they’ll try and make it seem like the “back up” is just as good …
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) April 21, 2022
In the eyes of Bell, if Samuel sits out the season, Kyle Shanahan will do everything in his power to make it look as if Deebo's success was a product of the Niners' offensive system. Bell thinks the 49ers will deploy another player in the same role and hope that he can replicate some semblance of the production Samuel provided.
Debo is basically getting punished for doin too much & helping the team win🤦🏾♂️ Debo just need to stay outta the backfield…
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) April 21, 2022
Bell feels as if the 49ers are punishing Samuel for being too complete of a player and helping out in too many facets of the game. The toll his versatility had on his body last year was plain to see, as Samuel was banged up for much of the playoffs.
Part of Samuel's desire to be traded from the 49ers was reportedly in hopes of being used strictly as a wide receiver. His role in San Francisco is extremely demanding and requires him to take several big hits per game, which obviously puts him at greater risk of injury.
At this point, the 49ers don't seem too willing to honor Samuel's request for a trade, so if a holdout does ensue, it's good to know Deebo can seek wisdom from an experienced veteran in the art of sitting out, Le'Veon Bell.
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