Deebo Samuel pushed his way into the national spotlight with a monster 2021 season that was the most unique by a wide receiver in NFL history. His outstanding season as a pass catcher and rusher was going to make extension talks complicated as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. A scrubbing of the 49ers from his Instagram page led to some speculation there’s a sizable rift between the All-Pro wide receiver and the 49ers.
The publicizing of his unhappiness with the team has led to debate about whether the 49ers should keep or trade Samuel. Most everyone has a take on what San Francisco should do with the receiver that took the NFL by storm last year in his third season as a pro. Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin weighed in with Damon and Ratto on 95.7 the Game in San Francisco. He’s of the mind the 49ers have to ensure Samuel stays in their building.
“He sets the tone. He sets the tone for that team,” Irvin said. “You can talk about physical skill sets. We could talk about how well you run, how high you jump – when you find the dude that sets the tone for your team – you do not let him go. And that’s what Deebo does for the San Francisco 49ers. I guarantee you you’ll be a different football team without him.”
Losing Samuel would remove a substantial piece of their offensive puzzle. He racked up more than 1,700 all-purpose yards last year and 14 total touchdowns. Finding players with his skill set is nigh impossible, so losing him would be the 49ers would need to function differently offensively.
There’s also a nastiness and an edge that he plays with that perfectly fits with the hard-nosed identity San Francisco wants to occupy on offense. However, while the 49ers need Samuel to maximize their offense, Irvin also believes the 49ers are the best place for Samuel.
“I told him, ‘get all you can, man. But I think it would be best for you to stay in San Francisco. To stay with Kyle Shanahan,'” Irvin said of his conversation with Samuel during the Super Bowl.
That’s ultimately what the 49ers are hoping for. They’re hoping Samuel believes he at least needs San Francisco enough to bring his asking price down to something they can stomach. If that’s not the case, the 49ers may be looking for trade partners and a different identity on offense.
