Deebo Samuel requests trade from San Francisco 49ers; 1 team emerges as favorite

Deebo Samuel has become a star for the San Francisco 49ers after they took the former South Carolina wide receiver with the No. 36 overall pick in Round 2 of the 2019 NFL Draft.

But, he has apparently grown unhappy in the Bay Area, and on Wednesday, it was reported that he had requested a trade.

Per Jeff Darlington, Samuel didn’t want to discuss specifics, but did confirm that he wanted out of San Francisco:

Breaking News: I just spoke to wide receiver Deebo Samuel — and he told me that he has asked the 49ers to trade him.

He did not want to discuss specific reasons behind his request, but he has indeed let the 49ers know his desire to leave the organization. More to come.

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 20, 2022

So, what has caused the discontent? NFL insider Ian Rapoport broke it down below:

From NFL Now: For more than a week, the #49ers have been dealing with a major issue in their WRs room, as Deebo Samuel requested a trade. pic.twitter.com/PDuN2TsjHz

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 20, 2022

“He has just been, as of now, unwilling to accept or engage in any offer or any discussion,” Rapoport said. “The reason for that, from my understanding, is he simply wants to be elsewhere. And there are some questions and frustrations from his standpoint about his usage.”

There has been some speculation that Samuel, who also carries the ball a lot, wants to be paid both like a top receiver and a running back, since he takes so many hits.

One team — the New York Jets — has emerged as an early favorite for Samuel’s services:

Who will try to trade for Deebo Samuel? This list surely starts with the Jets, who were ready to trade for Tyreek Hill. https://t.co/pNd1PyHQbv

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 20, 2022

Can’t see how the Jets aren’t in play for Deebo. Saleh knows him, they were in on Tyreek….a whole lot of teams have to explore this though. Deebo is a monster

— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) April 20, 2022

The #Jets have already shown they are not afraid to use significant draft capital + financial muscle to land a big time WR

Obviously Deebo was with Mike LaFleur for two years

Very interesting to know what else Deebo’s side wants, besides just $ (contender? top QB to pair with?) https://t.co/EWsDYkn9dq

— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) April 20, 2022

Among the teams to consider as the trade market for Deebo Samuel heats up: The #Jets, the #Packers, the #Chiefs, the #Lions… and, I assume, most other teams who like really good players. https://t.co/onrd55k3s3

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 20, 2022

Where will the former Gamecock end up? That remains to be seen, but it will be a huge storyline across the NFL over the coming days leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.