Deebo Samuel was once the apple of many Detroit Lions fans’ eyes in the 2019 NFL draft. Could the Lions now land the versatile 49ers standout three years later?
It’s possible. Samuel has requested a trade from the 49ers. While the demand is rooted in a desire to get a rich new contract, there are some fundamental issues in how the 49ers use Samuel too. Dan Campbell’s Lions have the ability to use Samuel more exclusively as a wide receiver and also fork over tens of millions to land a long-term, No. 1 wide receiver on the roster.
It would take a considerable offer to land Samuel. At minimum, the No. 32 overall pick in next week’s draft and at least one other top-100 pick, either (likely) this year or next. Then there’s the matter of paying Samuel in the rapidly increasing wide receiver market.
Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams became the two highest-paid wideouts in the league this offseason with new contracts. Amari Cooper topped $20 million per year, too. Christian Kirk, Brandin Cooks and Allen Robinson all earning huge pay bumps have elevated the market for guys like Samuel–who is coming off a better 2021 than any of them.
Samuel caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns in 2021. His 18.2 yards per catch was the highest of any receiver in the league, earning him a first-team All-Pro nod. The 26-year-old did lead the NFL in drops (12), but he more than made up for it with eight rushing TDs.
It’s the rushing part of the equation that has Samuel bristling at the 49ers. The Lions already have a similar type of player in Amon-Ra St. Brown who enthusiastically does those same things (though not as dynamically), which would afford Samuel to be more of a receiving weapon. Samuel’s ability to win at all levels of the defense make that very appealing. Both St. Brown and Samuel are versatile enough to work well together while having some overlapping skills.
The Lions played San Francisco last season, and before the game Campbell talked up Samuel,
Dan Campbell on Deebo back in September: "I remember when he was coming out, I loved the player, too. I know we did when I was in New Orleans. … When you can use a guy like that, he's like a punt returner but on your offense. … It brings another dimension to your offense."
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) April 20, 2022
It would be interesting to see if the Lions would be willing to pay Samuel in excess of $20 million per season to exclusively play wide receiver. It’s his added value as a runner and weapon that makes Samuel uniquely valuable to any offense. If they are, it’s worth making the deal; the point of draft picks isn’t necessarily to select college prospects but to add talent to the roster. No player they take at No. 32 can ever reasonably be expected to be more worthwhile than what Samuel has proven he can be.
Alas, Campbell’s quote above presents the bigger barrier for Detroit. His old team, the New Orleans Saints have an even more urgent need for WR talent and both better draft capital (No. 16 and 19) and cap room to make it happen. Samuel is also a perfect fit for teams like the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. Those AFC teams that have shown both a willingness to make bold moves and are a lot closer to playoff runs than this current Lions team is–even with Samuel.
It’s definitely worth the Lions pursuing Samuel. He’s worth the cost to acquire and (very likely) worth the lucrative new contract he commands for Detroit. But don’t expect the Lions to be the top bidder, even with an aggressive GM like Brad Holmes who knows Samuel well from his Rams days in the NFC West.
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