The Seattle Seahawks are emerging as a potential landing spot for San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has floated the idea that the Seahawks might pursue Samuel if the 49ers decide to explore a blockbuster trade this offseason. Florio noted that the timing of ESPN’s Adam Schefter’s report about Seattle’s interest in Samuel is intriguing.
“The item is far more interesting for what it reports than what it could mean. The timing of the disclosure, tied to the latest Seahawks-49ers game, could be a hint to Deebo that, if/when the 49ers move on from him after the season via trade or release, Seattle will be interested,” Florio wrote in a November 17, 2024, article titled “Five-year-old Deebo Samuel/DK Metcalf scoop possibly points to more scoops to come.”
Samuel is under contract through the 2025 season as part of his three-year, $71.5 million deal. However, the 49ers have an option to move on from Samuel this offseason, though doing so would carry a hefty $31 million dead cap hit, according to Spotrac. If the Niners do decide to part ways with Samuel, they would likely look to trade him rather than release him outright.
Could the Seahawks Explore Trading DK Metcalf?
If the Seahawks were to acquire Samuel, NFL insiders speculate whether the team might consider trading DK Metcalf. Given that the 49ers and Seahawks are division rivals, the odds of such a trade are slim. Still, the discussion has sparked curiosity, as Metcalf’s three-year, $72 million contract also runs through the 2025 season.
“It also could be a hint to the league at large that Metcalf is available after the season, especially if the Seahawks can land Deebo,” Florio added. “Remember the report from Schefter at the trade deadline that ‘despite speculation,’ Metcalf won’t be traded? First, there was no credible speculation that he could be traded. Second, that might have been the first priming of the pump for someone to approach the Seahawks after the season.”
Seahawks Attempted to Trade for Both DK Metcalf & Deebo Samuel Ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft
This is not the first time the Seahawks have shown interest in pairing Metcalf and Samuel. According to Schefter, Seattle tried to acquire both receivers during the 2019 NFL draft. The Seahawks had a deal in place to move up and select Samuel, but the trade fell through at the last moment.
“The Seattle Seahawks intended to draft both receivers in the second round that year and thought they had a deal in place to do it, league sources told ESPN on Saturday,” Schefter detailed in a November 16 article titled “Sources: Seahawks eyed Deebo Samuel-DK Metcalf pairing in 2019 draft.”
“During the first round, the Seahawks traded pick No. 30 to the New York Giants for Nos. 37, 132 and 142 with the idea that — the next night — they would move back up from No. 37 to No. 35 to select Samuel. Shortly before the second round, the Seahawks had a trade worked out with the Raiders to move up to No. 35, with Samuel as the target,” Schefter explained.
“But before that trade was finalized, the Raiders instead decided to send the 35th pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who selected offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor. To this day, the Seahawks don’t know why the Raiders reneged on the deal, according to sources.”
Samuel’s Versatility Could Make Him a Valuable Addition
What makes Samuel especially appealing is his versatility. The 49ers have utilized him both as a receiver and occasionally as a running back. Despite this, Samuel has only reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark once in his career.
In his first 11 games of the 2024 season, Samuel recorded 38 receptions for 531 yards and one touchdown, along with 27 carries for 79 yards and another touchdown.
While the chances of Seattle landing Samuel remain slim, the possibility of a trade could spark intriguing discussions this offseason if the 49ers decide to shop the star playmaker.
