Deebo Samuel is a multi-faceted weapon for the San Francisco 49ers offense. His journey in the team took a dramatic turn on Wednesday after he expressed his desire to leave the franchise. After the media started speculating possible reasons for his decision, the wide receiver came forward to respond to the matter.
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The 26-year-old wide receiver will be entering the fourth and final year of his contract. That’s when an unprecedented request came from his side. While the 2022 draft is about to begin in a few days, trading him and finding a new home would be a tedious job for the Niners to exercise.
What are the speculations behind Deebo Samuel leaving the franchise?
The news came in as an extreme shocker for the fans and the Niners at the same time. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington spoke to the 49ers receiver. He revealed that Samuel has asked the team to trade him.
“Breaking News: I just spoke to wide receiver Deebo Samuel — and he told me that he has asked the 49ers to trade him. He did not want to discuss specific reasons behind his request, but…” Jeff tweeted.
Breaking News: I just spoke to wide receiver Deebo Samuel — and he told me that he has asked the 49ers to trade him.
He did not want to discuss specific reasons behind his request, but he has indeed let the 49ers know his desire to leave the organization. More to come.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 20, 2022
Soon speculations started brewing from all sides of the media, with Ian Rapoport coming up with his thoughts. According to the NFL insider, Samuel’s problem with the Niners isn’t related to money. Otherwise, the issue would have been solved, with a one-on-one negotiation.
Also Read – Deebo Samuel Makes Huge Career Decision That Changes NFL Landscape For 2022 Season
However, Rapoport thinks the way the Niners use him in a hybrid role is what concerns him. It appears that Samuel is frustrated with his usage in the 49ers’ offense.
More specifically, he doesn’t like “taking a lot of hits” when he’s used as a running back, as Rapoport explains. “He simply wants to be elsewhere. There are some questions and frustration from his standpoint about his usage. He’s a top receiver; he also takes a lot of hits (and is) used as a running back, but all over the field, and it just does not sound like he is comfortable as of right now with the way he is being used” Rapoport said in the media interaction.
From NFL Now: For more than a week, the #49ers have been dealing with a major issue in their WRs room, as Deebo Samuel requested a trade. pic.twitter.com/PDuN2TsjHz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 20, 2022
Later the same day, Samuel came forward with his thoughts; however, his statements were more hazy and unclear than expected.
What did the wide receiver say?
On Wednesday, Taking on Twitter, Samuel broke his silence. “Reporters’ jobs is to make stories only people know the truth about the situation of 49ers ToryDandy and Deebo Samuel,” Samuel wrote on Twitter. Well, it was a strange message from the receiver. At the same time, he hinted at a possible discomfort inside the team.
Deebo Samuel sets the record straight pic.twitter.com/k1ltJBOm4b
— PFF (@PFF) April 20, 2022
Certainly, it will be a huge blow for the team to lose him at this point. In the previous season, Samuel was the top-performing wide receiver for the Niners. He recorded 77 catches for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns while averaging a league-high 18.2 yards per catch.
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He also was a key factor in the running game, as he ran for 365 yards and completed eight touchdowns on 59 carries. Samuel got drafted in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. He inked a four-year, $7,247, 476 deal with the franchise. In the current scenario, it will be interesting to see how the Niners manage to trade him.
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