Are the 49ers Creating a Weird Situation With Deebo Samuel?

Deebo Samuel was dangled out there as trade bait by the 49ers and they also drafted his potential replacement for 2025. Have the 49ers created a weird situation with Samuel?

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) reacts / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

All-Pro receiver Brandon Aiyuk was constantly involved in trade scenarios leading up to the NFL draft.

The San Francisco 49ers have to either extend him lucratively, which is well deserved, or they could've traded him before or during the draft. Well, it turns out Aiyuk wasn't the right receiver who was likely to be traded.

Deebo Samuel was at the forefront of it with Aiyuk in the backseat of trade scenarios. The fact that the 49ers drafted Ricky Pearsall at No. 31 overall only amplifies how the 49ers were willing to part with him. However, those trade scenarios were short-lived. Samuel will be on the 49ers in 2024.

"We’re happy with our wide receiver group," said general manager John Lynch. "Actually, more than happy. We’re really thrilled with it and thrilled to have added [WR] Ricky [Pearsall] to that group and even make it stronger.”

But things are definitely weird. The 49ers dangled Samuel in a trade abruptly and went out and got his future replacement. Some awkwardness, and maybe even friction, can emerge down the line as a result. So, are the 49ers creating a weird situation with Samuel?

Absolutely, but the 49ers are not new to weird situations at all and are well equipped to handle it. Last season, they held a fake quarterback competition between Sam Darnold and Trey Lance with Brock Purdy taking a practice off every three or four days. That situation was weird since Lance was the No. 3 overall pick that the 49ers invested the farm in with the arrows pointing that Purdy is the guy instead.

The year before that in 2022, the 49ers were flipping the page to Lance as the starter, but still had four-year starter Jimmy Garoppolo on the roster. The 49ers tried to trade Garoppolo, but failed due to a lack of interest from other teams. So, Garoppolo stayed aboard and practiced off to the side next to where the team would practice.

This team is used to weird situations and they are always creating it themselves, yet they somehow survive it. I think Samuel just shrugs at this situation completely unbothered given he is still a key starter and leader of the 49ers. Not to mention he is getting paid handsomely this year, so if he does have any tears, he can just wipe them away with multiple 100 dollar bills.

This situations will NOT cause a stir at any point in the upcoming season.