49ers star receiver Deebo Samuel is officially on the trade block, but here’s why the Pittsburgh Steelers will not make an offer despite their need at receiver.
If you want an electrifying wide receiver who can excel at numerous roles and elevate the play of his teammates around him, look no further than 49ers star wide receiver, Deebo Samuel. The 2021 First-Team All-Pro wideout showed just how versatile and unstoppable he was last season as he nearly led his team to a Super Bowl berth.
Unfortunately for San Franciso, Samuel has expressed his dissatisfaction in his role with the team and has officially requested a trade. The 49ers may be obligated to oblige. ESPN’s Jeff Darlington was on it first:
Breaking News: I just spoke to wide receiver Deebo Samuel — and he told me that he has asked the 49ers to trade him.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) April 20, 2022
He did not want to discuss specific reasons behind his request, but he has indeed let the 49ers know his desire to leave the organization. More to come.
Samuel has been fantastic to begin his NFL career. Though his 2020 season was riddled with nagging injuries, Deebo was fully healthy in 2021 and it showed.
This past season, the 49ers star caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and 6 touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. His 18.2 yards per reception led all qualifying NFL receivers last year. However, Samuel is more than just a recevier.
In 2021, the talented offensive weapon chipped in 59 rushes for 365 yards (6.2 yards per attempt) and chipped in a whopping 8 scores on the ground.
Deebo Samuel brings a remarkably rare skill set to the table that any team would be thrilled to have on their offense. Early in his career, he has proved to be one of the most valuable non-quarterback players in the NFL. Sadly, there’s almost no chance the Pittsburgh Steelers make a play for him.
Steelers won’t enter Samuel sweepstakes
This offseason, the Steelers lost JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington, and Ray-Ray McCloud to free agency, and have done very little in the way of replacing them. While Pittsburgh signed Gunnar Olszewski and claimed Miles Boykin off waivers, Olszewski has 9 career catches in 3 seasons with the Patriots, and Boykin caught just 1 pass in 8 games in 2021.
Meanwhile, Chase Claypool took a significant step back last season. Though Pittsburgh’s receiving corps shows some promise with Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, and Chase Claypool, they are lacking a legitimate number one threat.
Deebo Samuel would certainly be this player for them. His explosiveness with the ball in his hands would instantly skyrocket Pittsburgh’s offensive ceiling and give them one of the best weapons in all of football. However, adding a player like Samuel is simply not realistic.
The Steelers are already short on draft capital, and Samuel wouldn’t come cheap. Pittsburgh is no doubt going to be focused on finding their next franchise quarterback before they would ever feel comfortable enough to pull off a blockbuster trade for a wide receiver.
When the Miami Dolphins executed a trade for three-time All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill this offseason, it cost them a collection of five draft choices, including a 2022 first-round pick and 2022 second-round pick.
This was despite the fact that the Dolphins would turn around and immediately sign him to a lucrative extension. Trading for Deebo Samuel may not cost quite as much as Hill, but it could be somewhere in that vicinity.
Wide receiver is still a big need on Pittsburgh’s roster, but there’s no chance they would trade for a player like Deebo Samuel when they are still searching for their next franchise quarterback. This simply isn’t a move the Steelers can afford to make at this point in time.