What the Deebo Trade Means for the Dolphins

The return for Deebo Samuel had to be an eye-opener for every team potentially thinking about trading a wide receiver

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) runs with the football past Miami Dolphins linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (6) during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The big weekend news of the trade involving wide receiver Deebo Samuel has two significant Miami Dolphins angles to it.

While the trade won't become official until the start of the new league year March 12, reports indicated Samuel will go from the San Francisco 49ers to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick.

From the most direct viewpoint, the effect of the trade is the Dolphins will be facing Samuel for a second consecutive year, barring injury.

The Commanders and Dolphins will be facing each other in a Miami home game in 2025 at Hard Rock Stadium or potentially in Spain if this matchup ends being the one selected for that international game.

And while Samuel had a down 2024 season overall, he was very effective for the 49ers when the Dolphins defeated them at Hard Rock Stadium in December. On that day, Samuel had seven catches for 96 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown when he bowled over three defenders at the 5-yard line on his way to the end zone.

Samuel also had five rushing attempts for 25, his 121 yards of offense representing his highest total of the season.

In Washington, he'll give Jayden Daniels another potentially dangerous weapon to go along with wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

THE WIDE RECEIVER TRADE MARKET

The indirect effect (or potential effect) of the trade was providing realistic expectations for what the Dolphins could get in the event they did decide to trade Tyreek Hill this offseason.

While Samuel isn't in Hill's league as a wide receiver, he's always been viewed as a valuable offensive piece because of his versatile and he did have 12 total touchdowns in 2023 and his monster season of 2021 when he topped 1,400 receiving yards and had 14 total touchdowns.

Part of the reason the return for Samuel will be so low is the fact that Washington is taking on his $17 million contract for 2025.

The return follows the recent trend when it comes to wide receivers.

Other examples is Denver getting only fifth- and sixth-round picks from Cleveland for Jerry Jeudy, the Raiders getting only a third-round pick from the Jets for Davante Adams, the Browns essentially getting only a third-round pick for Amari Cooper, the Bills getting a second-round pick from the Texans for Stefon Diggs but having to throw in picks in the fifth and sixth rounds.

One aspect of a potential Hill trade — which we repeat we see as unlikely — is the fact the Dolphins actually will carry a bigger cap number for him if they trade him before June 1. If they trade him after June 1 (and this isn't a move that can be done earlier with a simple post-June 1 designation like a player release), then the Dolphins would save $15 million off his cap number.

A team acquiring Hill would take on $15 million in 2025, but then have to deal with his $30 million (non-guaranteed) base salary next year along with about $10 million in option and roster bonuses, per overthecap.com.

What Hill could fetch in a potential trade isn't fully determined, but the Samuel trade didn't do anything to raise expectations that it would be anything overly significant.