49er's Receiver Deebo Samuel Requests Trade, Could He Reunite with Mike McDaniel in Miami?
After quite a bit of speculation following Deebo Samuel’s decision to skip the first part of the San Francisco 49er's offseason training, the electric pass catcher has officially requested a trade. Despite San Francisco’s reported willingness to restructure Samuel’s contract, Deebo put a halt to negotiations over the weekend and it was rumored on Monday that he wanted out of the Bay Area.
It seems these grumblings have come to a head as there is likely no scenario in which Samuel suits up in a Niners uniform this fall. Where might the 26-year-old speedster be dealt? Could a reunion with former 49er's offensive coordinator and newly hired Dolphins head coach, Mike McDaniel, be on the horizon?
Samuel, who has spent his entire three-year career in McDaniel’s offensive system, flourished last season in his role as part-time route runner, part-time ball carrier, and full-time playmaker. The South Carolina Gamecocks product racked up 1,405 yards receiving, and six touchdown catches in addition to his eight rushing touchdowns. No player in the league, except maybe Cordarelle Patterson, was as versatile and dynamic as Samuel last season.
His speed in the run game allowed him to get around the edge on sweeps and his deceptive strength carried him through the arm tackles of defensive backs. Samuel’s natural feel for the game and instincts as a runner led to some huge plays for the Niners in 2021 as they advanced all the way to the NFC title game before losing to eventual Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. It appears though, that Samuel’s time in San Francisco has come to an end, leaving many to wonder what the future may hold for the first-time All-Pro.
It is certainly worth mentioning that Deebo Samuel is a huge fan of Mike McDaniel. When McDaniel took the Miami gig, Samuel told reporters, “I could write a book about Mike. He's just a great guy. He was one of the guys that I went to a lot… just talk about life. It's not all about ball…Miami is getting a great guy.” (49erswebzone)
The relationship between Samuel and McDaniel appears to be genuine and strong, which could play a huge factor in where Samuel eventually ends up. Let’s also not forget that no coach in the league was as creative in offensive scheming as McDaniel was last season. The Dolphins have two big-time receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but a young play caller like Tua Tagovailoa can never have too many weapons. It’s likely that Samuel’s arrival wouldn’t change much in the way of targets for Hill or Waddle, as McDaniel would utilize his old receiver in the run game where Miami hasn’t seen a consistent performance since the days of Ricky Williams.
The pieces of the puzzle are there to be put together, the real question is what does Miami have to give up to get him? Short on high draft picks this year, the Dolphins do have two first-round picks and two more in the third round of the 2023 Draft. They could package a combination of these with some offensive line help or an edge rusher to send to the Niners, both of which San Francisco desperately need.
After a breakout season, Deebo is looking to cash in on the new receiver market value increase that’s going around. He sees a lot of other pass catchers who are getting the Brinks truck backed up for them and probably believes he should be next in line. He’s not wrong.
Samuel’s big-play ability and fighter’s mentality make him a hot commodity in today’s lightning-fast league and while San Francisco may set the price high, surely someone will bite on this trade. Will it be the Dolphins? Or another team in need of a young multitalented weapon? Be on the lookout for this story to heat up as we get closer to next Thursday’s 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas, which begins on April 28th at 8 p.m. EST.
