Deebo Samuel wants out of San Francisco and he might be landing in ... Detroit?
The All-Pro wide receiver who led the NFL in yards per catch last season has reportedly requested a trade from the 49ers, and the Lions, at least in theory, have the resources and the motives to go get him.
That idea was first mentioned Wednesday by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who named the Lions along with the Chiefs, Packers and Jets as one of the "teams to consider as the trade market for Samuel heats up." And, ya know, every other team not named the 49ers:
Samuel to Detroit has also gained some traction in Vegas, where the Lions have been listed as his eighth most likely landing spot, tied with the Falcons and Steelers with 12-1 odds. The Colts, at 9-2, are the favorite, followed by the Jets, Chiefs and Saints.
Why Detroit? For one, the Lions have the need. They've added one good receiver this offseason in D.J. Chark (but only on a one-year deal) and they'll likely add another in the draft. But Samuel would give them the true No. 1 they're lacking, a 26-year-old who caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards last season -- just his third in the NFL. His breakout began in Detroit when he went off for nine catches, 189 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.
For another, the Lions have the capital to bring Samuel on board. With three picks in the top 34 and five in the top 100 in next week's draft, they could offer the 49ers, say, picks Nos. 32 and 66. That would likely be enough for a team that currently isn't slated to pick until No. 61.
"I'm not sure the 49ers, at this point, are going to trade him," Rapoport said Wednesday. "They don't have to. They also don't pick until late in the second round, so potentially if they want a first-round pick, this would be a pretty good way to get one."
Then it would become a question of money for the Lions, with Samuel, who has one year left on his rookie deal with a cap hit of $4.9 million, seeking an extension worth upwards of $25 million per year. Detroit could fit that into its budget in 2023 -- assuming Samuel would be open to playing for Detroit.
The 49ers are said to be more than willing to pay Samuel themselves, but Samuel is much less interested in sticking around after being used more and more like a running back in the second half of last season and the playoffs.
Per Rapoport, the 49ers "want to make him one of the higher-paid receivers in the NFL. He has just been, as of now, unwilling to accept or engage in any offer or any discussion. And the reason for that is he simply wants to be elsewhere. There are some frustrations and questions from his standpoint about his usage. He's a top receiver. He also takes a lot of hits used like a running back, put all over the field, and it just does not sound like he is comfortable as of right now with the way he is being used."
Samuel took a fairly absurd 59 carries last season, more than three times as many as any other receiver in the NFL. Then he took 27 more in three playoff games. In a sport where your prime money-making years don't last long, you can understand his angst. If it's too late for San Francisco to fix things, sure, keep an eye on Detroit.
All that said ... the Lions are a long-shot to land Samuel. Holmes and Dan Campbell have said over and over they want to build the team through the draft, and you don't do that by trading premium picks for a player who will quickly swallow so much of the cap space you've been working to clear. This is a move for a team that's all-in, a piece or two away from the Super Bowl. The Lions are coming off their fourth straight last-place finish.
It's not to say their rebuild isn't heading in the right direction. It is. But the draft is what got the Lions moving last season, and the draft is what will propel them in the years ahead. Samuel's a great player, worth every penny he's soon to get paid, but the timing isn't right in Detroit.
