Did the 49ers do well by agreeing to trade star wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round 2025 NFL Draft pick?
The Faithful might have lost a long-time fan favorite known for his versatility and yards-after-catch abilities, but ESPN’s Seth Walder was satisfied with the 49ers’ business, citing Samuel’s production decline and hefty cap hit as reasons why San Francisco walked away with a good deal.
Commanders' grade: B
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49ers' grade: B+
“Samuel is a unique player. At his peak, his after-the-catch skills were unparalleled," Walder wrote. "Over the past four seasons, Samuel has posted a league-high 87 YAC score -- 21 points higher than every other receiver in ESPN's receiver scores (Ja'Marr Chase is next best at 66). His exceptional yards-after-catch skills have masked his subpar abilities in other traditional receiver facets.
“Samuel's production has declined in recent years. And after posting an absurd 1,405 receiving yards on 3.1 yards per route run (along with 365 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns) in 2021, he hasn't approached those numbers ...
“Considering San Francisco's plethora of wide receivers and the $17.6 million cap hit coming due, it was understandable that the team was looking to move on from Samuel, who had requested a trade. And Washington was a logical candidate to acquire him. It's time for the Commanders, flush with cap space and in Year 2 of the Jayden Daniels era, to push their chips into the middle of the table."
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Selected in the second round (No. 36 overall) by the 49ers in 2019, Samuel went on to recorded 334 receptions for 4,792 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns through the air while doubling as a threat on the ground, recording 202 rushing attempts for 1,143 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns on the ground throughout six seasons with San Francisco.
The 29-year-old requested a trade during his exit interview shortly after a disappointing 2024 NFL season in which he hauled in just 51 of his 81 targets for 670 yards and three touchdowns along with 42 carries for 136 yards and a rushing touchdown.
All things considered, it’s complicated to disagree with ESPN’s grades, given the obvious win-win nature of the trade for both teams and, perhaps most importantly, Samuel himself.