Report: 49ers trade Deebo Samuel to Commanders
The San Francisco 49ers are trading receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The star wideout and his agent were granted permission to find a trade partner after expressing a desire to move on, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Washington is taking on the remainder of Samuel's contract and paying his full $17.5-million salary for next season, sources told Schefter. The trade will result in nearly $31 million in dead money for the 49ers and cause the club to lose $15.1 million in cap space as a pre-June 1 trade, per Spotrac. Samuel is set to become a free agent after next season.
Commanders defensive lineman Jonathan Allen was part of trade discussions between the 49ers and Commanders this week but was not included in the deal, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Allen, who was reportedly granted permission to seek a trade, is scheduled to earn $16.4 million in 2025.
The trade won't be finalized until the start of the new league year.
Samuel's availability drew interest from a few teams, including the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.
The 2019 second-round pick posted 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 TDs in 2021 on his way to becoming a first-team All-Pro member and earning a Pro Bowl nod.
Samuel struggled to recapture his most dominant form in recent years, and a change of scenery could be helpful after he recorded a career-low 670 yards to go along with four total touchdowns in 2024. The 29-year-old flourished during his six seasons in San Francisco, racking up 4,792 receiving yards, 1,143 rushing yards, and 42 total scores during his tenure with the franchise.
Samuel provides the Commanders with another weapon for quarterback Jayden Daniels. He'll join a receiving corps that will be headlined by Terry McLaurin.
San Francisco will move forward with a receiving group led by Brandon Aiyuk, who is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL sustained during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs last season. The Niners drafted Ricky Pearsall 31st overall in 2024 to add more youth at the position. Jauan Jennings emerged as the team's most productive receiver last year.