Perhaps the surprise cut of defensive lineman Arik Armstead is all the 49ers will need to keep the rest of the gang together for another run at the Super Bowl. The 49ers were facing difficult salary-cap pressure and the jettisoning of Armstead—which will be painful—offers some relief.
But the 49ers are not entirely out of the woods. They still have other financial pressures with which to cope, and with the need to land a contract extension for star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, speculation remains high that the team could be looking at a major trade in addition to this week’s moves.
While the bulk of the speculation has been on a potential trade of Aiyuk, who could warrant a contract worth $24 million per year, for a total of $96 million over four years, there has been a countercurrent of chatter suggesting that it will actually be the 49ers’ older and more injury-prone star receiver, Deebo Samuel, who will hit the trading block.
Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reported last week that a GM mentioned Samuel as a likely trade candidate.
“The San Francisco 49ers are working to extend wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, and if and when they do, ‘I think they’ll trade Deebo [Samuel],’ one of the GMs said,” La Canfora wrote.
Brandon Aiyuk & Deebo Samuel: Can 49ers Keep Both?
If it comes down to the 49ers choosing between the Aiyuk and Samuel, one key factor will be that Aiyuk turns 26 this week, and Samuel is 28. Another will be the connection that Aiyuk and quarterback Brock Purdy forged last year, when Aiyuk had a breakout season.
Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards in 2023, both of which were career highs for him. He was seventh in the NFL in receiving yardage and third in the league with 28 catches of 20 yards or more. With a grade of 91.5, he was the No. 2 graded receiver at Pro Football Focus this season and is arguably the top deep threat in the league.
Samuel, meanwhile, was injured in Week 6 and missed Weeks 7 and 8, but still put up good numbers: 60 catches, 892 yards and seven touchdowns. He also rushed 37 times for 225 yards and five more touchdowns. Samuel’s ability to break tackles and plow ahead brings a different dimension to the 49ers offense, and losing him would remove one of Kyle Shanahan’s favorite weapons.
‘You’ve Got to Stay the Course’
Still, the realities of the salary cap have already forced the 49ers into one move they did not want to make with Armstead, and they could force the team into another move it does not want to make. Trading Samuel qualifies.
Oddly enough, Samuel was asked last week on the “Up and Adams” podcast about the Aiyuk trade rumors. He said he did not believe Aiyuk would be on the move.
Samuel added, “”If you look at his numbers from when he got to the league and now, it’s always a different type of leap. And so, like I told him, I said, ‘Hey, man, you put yourself in a position to be where you want to be.’ He’s up for a new deal and things like that. And I just told him, because I’ve been through it, it’s not going to be all fine and dandy like you think it’s going to be. You’ve got to stay the course.”
Stay the course is good advice. The question is whether the Niners will do the same with Samuel.
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