The San Francisco 49ers have granted star wide receiver Deebo Samuel and his agent permission to find a trade partner. The news comes after Samuel, 29, asked to be traded during the players’ exit meetings after the season.
“It was a hard conversation to have with Kyle [Shanahan] because of the relationship that we have,” Samuel told ESPN. “But I have to do what’s best. I’m more than thankful for the Niners giving me the opportunity of a lifetime, but now I think it’s best that we find another team.”
If the Niners trade or release Samuel, whose contract was recently restructured in September, before June 1, they’d absorb a $31.55 million dead-money hit on the cap. That number could decrease to cap hits of 10.75 million over the next couple of years with a post-June 1 move.
Samuel has been with the 49ers since 2019. He’s coming off a down year in which he finished with 806 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns after an injury-plagued season.
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