rDeebo Samuel shocked the NFL world by requesting a trade from the San Francisco 49ers. While the 49ers don't have to trade Samuel, usually when a high-profile player asks for a trade like this they wind up getting their wish.
49ers general manager John Lynch addressed the media on Monday and naturally discussed the Samuel situation. While he initially said he didn't want to talk much about it, he wound up saying quite a bit about his star wideout:
Samuel is entering the final season of his rookie contract and is due for a big extension. However, Samuel apparently doesn't want an extension with the 49ers and would prefer a move to another team.
While Lynch would prefer to keep Samuel around, there will surely be some excellent trade offers on the table. There have already been several blockbuster trades for wideouts this offseason, including Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill, and Samuel should fetch something similar. Given his desire to go elsewhere, Lynch should be willing to make a trade if there's a Godfather offer on the table.
Samuel had a monster 2021 campaign, catching 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns. His 18.2 yards per reception led the NFL. He also rushed 59 times for 365 yards and eight touchdowns.
Trading away Deebo Samuel would be a painful pill to swallow given just how much he means to Kyle Shanahan's offense. It would be especially tough to take away such a weapon from young quarterback Trey Lance. But when it comes down to it, it might just have to happen.
We'll see how John Lynch navigates this tricky situation.