Should Raiders Trade for Deebo Samuel?

Another major NFL domino could fall soon.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has been permitted to seek a trade.

The 49ers have granted Deebo Samuel and his agent Tory Dandy permission to find a trade partner for the wide receiver, Samuel told ESPN. This comes after Samuel asked San Francisco to trade him during the players’ exit meetings after the season.

“It was a hard conversation to… pic.twitter.com/uuEsxgFHIJ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 9, 2025

Samuel has been a crucial piece of the 49ers’ offense, spending the last six years as a multi-faceted weapon for one of the best teams in the NFC.

Now, it appears Samuel wants a bigger role elsewhere. He saw a deep drop-off in production, catching 51 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. He also rushed 42 times for 136 yards and a touchdown.

With the news that Samuel is looking for a new home, would it make sense for the Las Vegas Raiders to get involved?

Let’s make the case for why it would be a good idea, and why it might not.

To start, the Raiders need wide receiver help. Jakobi Meyers was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2024, but there was little production from their ancillary perimeter options. Adding a player like Samuel to Meyers and tight end Brock Bowers would give the Raiders’ offense three dynamic playmakers.

Samuel is not just a receiver. New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly could use him all over the field, as he is also a dynamic rusher. Samuel still has lots of good football left, as he is only 28 years old.

Acquiring Samuel would also likely not cost the Raiders much. Of the last ten wide receivers to be traded, none went for more than a second-round pick (Stefon Diggs went to the Houston Texans for a second). The average has been around a day-three pick.

The Raiders have the draft capital to acquire Samuel and the cap space to extend him if they see fit (his contract is likely a reason he wants to find a new team).

However, given his drop in production and injury history (he has missed 20 games in the last six seasons), teams may be hesitant to offer a contract extension to a player approaching 30 by the time the season starts.

If you trade for Samuel, you’ll also likely have to extend him. Would the Raiders be willing to pay him a long-term contract if they only get a few good years from him?

There will likely be cheaper, more durable receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft class they could turn their attention to, rather than acquiring Samuel and using a chunk of cap space on him.

This is fresh news, so more developments from the top NFL insiders are set to follow. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders get involved with a Samuel trade.

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