Deebo Samuel produced the 11th-most receiving yards in 49ers history over six seasons, not to mention eye-opening chunks as a tackle-breaking rusher whose duel talents often came through in the clutch.
Rather than return for a seventh season and his final one under contract, Samuel is getting traded to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round draft pick, a league source confirmed Saturday.
The 49ers, who’ve relished fifth-round picks under coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch since 2017, selected Samuel in the 2019 second round and parlayed his talents into four deep playoff runs before last season’s 6-11, last-place spiral.
Samuel, 29, will carry a heavy presence onto the 49ers’ 2024 salary cap with a $31 million charge. He has one season and a non-guaranteed $17.5 million salary remaining on a contract he restructured prior to last season.
The 49ers were not poised to reward Samuel with yet another contract, not after splurging last year on Brandon Aiyuk (four years, $120 million), as well as drafting Ricky Pearsall with their first-round pick and extending Jauan Jennings contract through 2025.
Samuel went public with a trade request on Super Bowl Sunday, saying he talked it over with coach Kyle Shanahan in an exit interview days once last season ended two months ago.
Lynch indicated Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis that the 49ers would honor Samuel’s trade request. “We’re on good terms with Deebo,” Lynch said. “He’s asked for a fresh start and I think we’re going to honor that.
“I don’t like seeing great players leave and he is a great player, one of my favorite draft picks of all time,” Lynch added. “He makes plays and makes game-changing plays and everything is good. But at some point, time happens. He asked for (a trade). … It probably makes sense.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the agreement on Saturday.
Samuel scored 22 receiving touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns in 81 regular-season games, though just three and one respectively this past season while he appearing in 15 games and battling health issues, including a bout with pneumonia that sidelined him early against the Kansas City Chiefs and required a two-night hospital stay.
Samuel’s heroic acts over his tenure often came on the biggest stage, whether he was demanding the ball in a playoff win at Dallas, making a third-down play to set up a playoff win at Green Bay, or scoring three touchdowns in a 42-19 rout at Philadelphia in 2023 that spring boarded the 49ers toward the Super Bowl. He scored three touchdowns in 12 playoff games; he caught 3-of-11 targets for 33 yards in the 2023 season’s Super Bowl overtime loss to Kansas City.
It’s a move that might benefit both Samuel and the 49ers. The 49ers are in contract negotiations with quarterback Brock Purdy and also are looking at extensions for start tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner. The 49ers also have depth at wide receiver.
Samuel joins an already formidable offense in Washington led by quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Samuel was an All-Pro with the 49ers in 2021, producing 1,770 yards from scrimmage and scoring 14 touchdowns, and helped the 49ers reach the NFC championship game. He signed a three-year, $71.6 million extension following that season and has been unable to replicate that kind of production.
The sixth-year pro played in 15 games and finished with 51 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns this season, producing fewer than 810 yards from scrimmage for the first time in a non COVID-shorted season.
