Report: Deebo’s usage, not money, reason for trade request originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Deebo Samuel never complained about his midseason transformation from go-to wide receiver to do-it-all “wide back.” But it evidently still was an issue for the 49ers star.
On Wednesday, Samuel told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington he has requested a trade from the 49ers and no longer wishes to play in San Francisco. That request happened more than a week ago, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported.
During an offseason in which Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs all received massive paydays, most assumed Samuel would be next. It was just a matter of him and the 49ers finding common ground on the money. But that apparently isn’t at the center of Samuel’s discontent with the 49ers.
Rapoport reported that Samuel’s main issue with the 49ers comes with how he’s used and not the zeroes attached to his future paychecks.
If that’s indeed the case, Samuel is smart to make it known he doesn’t plan on taking a pounding as a running back year after year. He knows that could lead to more injuries and shorten his career.
Prior to his transition to wide back, Samuel caught 54 passes for 979 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games for the 49ers. That kind of production over a 17-game season would put Samuel in the top tier of NFL wide receivers alongside Adams, Hill, Cooper Kupp and a healthy DeAndre Hopkins.
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From the 49ers’ point of view, perhaps they’re hesitant to give Samuel a massive contract since the third-year pro has missed 11 games in three seasons and had injury issues in college.
In a negotiation, both sides have to take everything into account. But somewhere along the way, whether it be with the heavy workload last season or a failure to meet financial desires, Samuel decided he wants to move on from the Bay Area.
The 49ers don’t have to grant his request. They can wait him out and try to mend the relationship.
But with…