A Deebo Samuel Trade That Would Work for the 49ers and the Ravens
The 49ers have outgrown Deebo Samuel and the Ravens seem to want him. Can they figure out a trade that works for both sides?
Samuel will cost the 49ers more than $28 million against the salary cap next season -- he's the most overpaid player on the team. The 49ers could ask him to take a pay cut (see: Arik Armstead and Kyle Juszczyk), or they could trade Samuel after June 1 for a player from another team.
The 49ers should trade Samuel to the Ravens for tight end Isaiah Likely.
The Ravens have Lamar Jackson and just signed Derrick Henry -- they want to have the best running game in the NFL. Of course they'd like to have Samuel, too. Because he's part running back, part wide receiver. He fits their offense perfectly.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have outgrown Samuel. They don't need to spend $28 million dollars on a wide receiver who can double as running back, because they have Christian McCaffrey. Now, the 49ers simply need wide receivers who can beat man-to-man coverage, and Samuel can't do that.
So trade him to the Ravens for Likely, their young tight end who won't start next year because Baltimore has Mark Andrews, who will return from injury. Last season, Jackson had a passer rating of 147 when targeting Likely. He's a tremendously promising young tight end who can play alongside George Kittle and replace him eventually.
The 49ers need a second tight end much more than they need a wide back.
