Another wideout is reportedly unhappy with his current situation, and of course, Howie Roseman and the Eagles are linked to him. This time around, it’s YAC extraordinaire Deebo Samuel who wants a change of scenery.
Samuel is about to enter the final year of his rookie contract. As a second-round pick, he doesn’t have a fifth-year option that the San Francisco 49ers can exercise to keep him around for another season. The team has to either pay him now or try to franchise tag him at the end of the 2022 season.
According to NFL insider Adam Schefter, ther Niners are not the ones holding up a deal here. Samuel appears to be posturing for a potential trade.
Digging a little deeper into the rabbit hole, you’ll find more evidence of Samuel’s desire to leave San Fran. Deebo’s brother, Tyquan Samuel, commented in a Niners fan page on Facebook, writing, “Don’t worry we asking for a trade.”
Bringing the rumor mill full circle, multiple reports have indicated that the Eagles have inquired about Deebo. Dan Sileo of “The Dan Sileo Show” has reported that the Eagles are frontrunners to acquire Deebo from San Fran.
We’ve been down this road before.
Big name player hits the trade block, the Eagles show interest, only to inevitably get outbid by another team. It’s a tried and true tradition at this point.
Maybe this time will be different. It’s always possible. But we know Roseman does not want to overpay for any position, let alone one he can effectively address in the NFL Draft next week.
The Eagles have shown interest in a number of wideouts this offseason. They reportedly had a trade in place for Atlanta pass catcher Calvin Ridley before the gambling scandal surfaced, and they were in on Christian Kirk during free agency before he signed a huge deal to join Douggie P in Jacksonville.
Daydreaming about an offense that has DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and Deebo Samuel is certainly enticing. Deebo is a one of one talent who can do nearly everything at a high level. He’s coming off the best season of his career in 2021, posting a PFF overall grade of 90.2, third-best among receivers. He played over 100 snaps out wide, in the slot, and in the backfield. Samuel is a do-it-all threat who should be able to mesh into any offensive system.
As good as Deebo is, it’s hard to imagine Howie really making a push to acquire him. Not only will Howie have to send over some very valuable draft compensation to San Francisco, he’ll immediately have to pay him. And paying him means making him one of the highest paid receivers in the NFL, upwards of $20 million per year.
Roseman has never handed out that kind of money to wideouts. Deebo is a special talent who’s only 26 years old, but there are concerns about getting a player with his playing style. For starters, he’s dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career, mostly because he plays like a running back. He had 139 touches last year, second-most of any wideout in the league last season.
Couple that with the fact that Deebo has only had one truly elite season in the NFL, paying a hefty price for his services may not be the best long-term solution to the Eagles wide receiver woes. There will be plenty of options at the position come draft night, and the team will have to pay a fraction of the price.
There’s no denying that Deebo is one of the most exciting players in football. But as we’ve seen countless times before, that doesn’t mean Howie will all of a sudden drop his team building morals to acquire him.