An internet rumor led to some speculation that the 49ers might trade Deebo Samuel this offseason. The merits of the rumor matter less than the fact there’s not a realistic compensation a the 49ers would accept given the financial ramifications of dealing the 27-year-old wide receiver before the 2023 season.
Samuel signed a three-year extension with the 49ers worth $71,550,000 with $41 million guaranteed last offseason following a lengthy negotiation that featured a trade request from the former second-round pick.
That request has made Samuel’s name easy to include in trade rumors, but the result of the negotiations was a contract that isn’t super easy to trade for now.
The 49ers would eat a $28,443,000 dead cap charge if they traded Samuel this offseason with no cap relief. That number is derived from the unpaid signing bonuses spread out through 2027. His contract is technically up after 2025, but there a pair of void years tacked on to help spread out his cap number.
Samuel is due to carry a $8,653,529 cap hit in 2023, so dealing him would add a substantial financial burden for a San Francisco club that doesn’t have a ton of wiggle room under the cap. Not to mention they’d be losing one of their top offensive playmakers.
It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Samuel eventually hits the trading block before his contract is up with San Francisco after the 2025 season. It just won’t happen this offseason.
