49ers open door for Deebo Samuel’s potential exit: Report

The San Francisco 49ers appear willing to allow Deebo Samuel to seek a trade. Samuel made the request for a trade earlier this month, and it seems likely that will be honored by the organization.

According to NFL insider Josina Anderson on Wednesday, 49ers general manager John Lynch said the team is on good terms with Samuel. Because of that, they will honor the fresh start that he has asked for.

Samuel has spent the past six seasons with the 49ers since the club drafted him in the second round out of South Carolina in 2019. Since then, he has become a major piece of San Francisco's offense. His versatile skillset has allowed him to shine as both a receiver and rusher. Despite this, the former first-team All-Pro appears to be ready to move on from the Bay Area.

His production has dropped off over the past several seasons, as Samuel only managed 670 receiving yards to go along with three touchdowns on 51 receptions in 2024. Although Samuel had 42 rush attempts, he only managed to pick up 136 yards and one score. Perhaps a change of scenery and offense will help revitalize Samuel on the stat sheet.

Potential landing spots for Deebo Samuel in the 2025 NFL offseason

While there are plenty of potential landing spots for Deebo Samuel in a trade, he has named the Denver Broncos as a team that has his interest. Speaking to Bleacher Report recently, Samuel sounded intrigued by the possibility of playing with soon-to-be sophomore quarterback Bo Nix and legendary coach Sean Payton.

NFL: Detroit Lions at San Francisco 49ers - Source: Imagn

"I could say Denver," Samuel said. "Bo Nix is playing really, really good ball right now. Your defense is, is outrageous. You got Patrick Surtain II out there, who's, I would say, the best at the position right now, probably been for the past two years.

"You got the other guy on the other side. I just think you need a couple more pieces, and then it'll be what it need to be, and just have to get past Pat Mahomes every year."

Adding Samuel to a receiving crew that already includes Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. would certainly prove beneficial to the young Nix. However, regardless of where Samuel lands, the team that acquires his services will be picking up a Swiss army knife that can add a range of possibilities to the offensive playbook with him on the roster.