George Kittle gets blunt on Deebo Samuel demanding trade from 49ers

Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers earlier this month — a development that went largely unnoticed amid the Super Bowl LIX hype. But more than a week has passed, and one of his teammates has shared his thoughts on the situation.

On Tuesday, George Kittle told USA Today that he considered the one-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl wide receiver irreplaceable and would miss him dearly if a trade happened:

"We're just going to have to build our offense a little bit differently because we don’t have that available to us," he said. "But Deebo’s a hell of a football player. I’ve loved being his teammate, sharing the field with him, going to war with him... But at the same time, I'm always happy for guys to get opportunities."

One of the teams linked to Samuel is the Denver Broncos. Earlier this month, he explained why the prospect of joining them excites him:

"Bo Nix is playing really, really good ball right now," Samuel said )per The Denver Post). "The defense is outrageous. You have (Pat Surtain II) out there. He’s probably been the best at the position the last two years and you’ve got the other guy on the other side (Riley Moss).”

“I think you just need a couple more pieces and it will be what it needs to be. You just have to get past Patrick Mahomes every year."

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Patriots insider names Deebo Samuel a potential trade target for New England

Another team that can make sense for Deebo Samuel is the New England Patriots. Holders of the No. 4 overall pick, they already have their quarterback of the future in Drake Maye but are desperate for weapons to surround him with.

A few insiders expect de facto general manager Eliot Wolf to target someone like Tetairoa McMillan, but Ryan McLaughlin, a columnist for FanSided’s Patriots site Musket Fire, suggested another trade scenario — sending a Day 3 pick or two and a player such as Kendrick Bourne to the 49ers in exchange for the two-time NFC champion:

"The 49ers have numerous top-line players they'll have to pay for the next two offseasons, and Samuel knows his time in San Francisco is coming to an end" McLaughlin wrote. "So, if the Patriots want to prove to Maye that they're serious about upgrading the offense, this is a splash the team needs to make."

Bourne, who began his career with the 49ers, had just 28 catches for 305 yards and one touchdown in 2024 — the first year of his current contract — his worst numbers since he was a rookie.