Deebo Samuel’s trade request has been granted.
The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver is heading to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to NFL Network and other media reports.
The trade agreement comes days after 49ers general manager John Lynch said the team would honor Samuel’s request for a trade and see if there were any trade partners available. Washington was a willing one after making the NFC title game during the 2024 season thanks to the excellence of rookie QB Jayden Daniels.
Not long after the deal was reported, the Commanders’ social media account tweeted out a GIF of Deebo from the movie “Friday.” You can connect the dots from there.
On Samuel’s Instagram account, he said, “Appreciate yall for everything!!!!!”
Why only a fifth-round pick for Deebo Samuel Sr.?
Samuel, 29, has been an all-purpose weapon for the 49ers, though his stats dipped in 2024. He had 51 catches for 670 yards and just three receiving TDs, with 42 rushing attempts for 136 yards and a TD. Those numbers are likely a big reason why Samuel commanded just a fifth-round pick in return from Washington.
His production in 2024 was down considerably from previous seasons. Samuel’s best year was 2021, when he had 77 catches for 1,405 yards and ran 59 times for 365 yards and eight scores. After the 2022 season, Samuel signed a three-year deal with the 49ers that included over $58 million guaranteed.
Given his age and the 49ers’ salary cap situation, a long-term deal in San Francisco has seemed like a long shot after his contract expires following the 2025 season. The 49ers need to sign QB Brock Purdy to a contract extension. His new salary will likely be commensurate with many of the higher-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Washington is taking on the remainder of Samuel’s contract and paying his full $17.55 million salary for next season. Samuel will count for over $31 million in dead money against the 49ers’ salary cap in 2025, but he’ll be completely off the books in 2026. That three-year deal contained four void years that would have counted against the 49ers’ cap had he left after the 2025 season.
How this move could help Commanders
The Commanders made a huge leap in 2024 after taking Daniels at No. 2 in the 2024 NFL Draft. He threw for over 3,500 yards and 25 TDs while also leading the team with 891 rushing yards. The Commanders finished second to the Eagles in the NFC East before beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round.
Washington then pulled the upset of the NFL playoffs when it took down the top-seeded Detroit Lions in the divisional round. The Commanders beat the Lions 45-31 as Daniels threw for 299 yards and two scores while rushing for 51 yards.
Now Washington hopes Samuel can get back to the form he showed in earlier seasons as the team attempts to make a Super Bowl run with Daniels on his rookie deal. Even if he doesn’t, it’s still a low-risk bet for the franchise.