The San Francisco 49ers have agreed to trade wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The move comes as a surprise, given that the Niners were reportedly seeking a fourth-round pick 12 months ago when Samuel was coming off a 12-touchdown campaign.
Samuel’s departure reflects a change in team-building philosophy from San Francisco, which has been focused on keeping veterans on big deals despite the team being one of the oldest in the NFL. This approach led to the 49ers finishing the 2024 season with an average age of 28.6 and ranking sixth in active cash spending.
General manager John Lynch expressed a desire for a more prudent approach, focusing on young players, and acknowledged that the team needs to get younger. The trade allows the Niners to reset their cap situation and add more youth to their roster.
The 49ers’ offense has undergone significant changes since Samuel’s heyday, with Brock Purdy now at the helm. The emphasis is on underneath easy plays, which reduces the need for a player like Samuel, whose upside as yards-after-catch threat clearly declined in 2024.
The team will still seek to address their needs through free agency and the draft, and there is pressure on head coach Kyle Shanahan to improve his dropback concepts. However, with players like Aiyuk and George Kittle, the Niners have a strong foundation for their offense.
The trade of Samuel paves the way for the 49ers to focus on adding more young talent to their roster, and they are now projected to have 11 selections in the upcoming draft, including eight in the top 150.
Source: https://www.ninersnation.com/2025/3/2/24376441/49ers-deebo-samuel-trade-significant-change-two-fronts