It’s quite impossible to tell which team won the trade in the offseason until it is visible on the field! Last year, for instance, Saquon Barkley was traded to the Eagles as they soared to success. But what about this season? Well, to everyone’s surprise, probably, one of the biggest trades of this year has been done – of Deebo Samuel – at least on paper. And Kyle Shanahan is left to rethink the move!

According to the reports, Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers sent their star wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick. It happened after Samuel requested a trade from the Niners.

And now, finally, the team granted his request. However, it might not be a win for the San Clara team! How?

Well, there are a couple of reasons to support that statement. Trading a former All-Pro, a key piece of their offense, for just a Day 3 draft pick? Sounds like a loss. In fact, when seen financially, as per Spotrac on X, “San Francisco has agreed to trade WR Deebo Samuel to Washington in exchange for a 2025 5th Rd pick.”

With this move, “#Commanders (will) Acquire 1 yr, $17.5M (non-guaranteed).” However, Kyle Shanahan’s “#49ers Dead Cap (reaches to) $31,020,600.”

In addition, “the Niners will lose $15.1M of cap space per this trade, which won’t become official until after the March 12th league year start.” So, this means the 49ers will receive a double blow in their cap space – one with a $31 million dead cap and two with losing $15.1 million cap space right now.

On the other hand, Washington gets a star receiver in Deebo Samuel without guaranteed financial risk. So, is it all a deal for a loss? Perhaps not!

It might not look like a win for Kyle Shanahan and the team. But take a closer look–it’s actually a smart move! How? ESPN’s Seth Walder graded the trade, giving San Francisco a ‘B+’ and Washington a ‘B.’ Why? Because the 49ers were likely going to release Deebo Samuel, anyway. Instead, they pulled a rabbit out of the hat.

San Francisco has already poured resources into Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall. They might even invest more in Jauan Jennings. Keeping Deebo Samuel on a three-year, $71.5 million extension wasn’t realistic. So, rather than letting him walk for free, they made a move and got value in return. Smart business!

Nevertheless, the Commanders are optimistic about having Deebo Samuel on their team.

Deebo Samuel will be the second weapon for Washington!

New Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel has already bid goodbye to the Bay Area on his social media post. Sharing a video caption highlighting his time with the Niners, he wrote, “Appreciate y’all for everything!!!!!” Samuel joined Kyle Shanahan’s team in his 2019 NFL Draft.

But he decided to exit as his seasons saw a rollercoaster ride and the latest frustration with his role in the team offense. And now, Samuel is welcomed by the Commanders – the team who won the divisional round in the 2024 season after 33 years.

Now that Deebo Samuel has left Kyle Shanahan’s offense, the question is, what’s coming up next for the WR in his new home? So, Samuel will be inserted as the No. 2 receiver behind Terry McLaurin with his team. They will use him for the running game, as he is also a good blocker.

It automatically means Samuel’s versatility will come in handy for QB Jayden Daniels and the squad. That’s the reason the quarterback is “excited” for the WR. He also dropped a “Let’s go!” comment on the news of Samuel coming to his team. No doubt, all are excited for him this season.

So, let’s see how the new era for Deebo Samuel goes with the highly skilled Commanders!