Not long ago, wide receiver Deebo Samuel got the spotlight because he showed up to Super Bowl Weekend wearing A.J. Brown's jersey. More recently, he made headlines because the San Francisco 49ers granted his request to seek a trade. The Jacksonville Jaguars must get on the phone with them and see what it will take to acquire the 2021 Pro Bowl nod.
Samuel is coming off a somewhat down season, registering 51 catches for 670 yards with three touchdowns. Then again, the 49ers as a whole struggled in 2024, and there's a chance he'll bounce back if he gets the fresh start he's been looking for. After all, it wasn't long ago that he logged over 1,700 yards from scrimmage and earned an All-Pro designation.
Of course, landing Samuel won't come cheap. Aside from compensating San Francisco, he's entering the last year of the $71.5 million deal he signed in 2022 and may want a new deal. Teams interested in his services will need to devote considerable resources to acquire him.
Leaving the price aside, the Jags could get him. Brian Thomas Jr. is a bonafide star but they need a receiver on the opposite side of the field whose presence prevents opposing defenses from doubling-teaming the Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist. Samuel fits the bill and would also give the coaching staff a dynamic chess piece to work with.
Although trading for Samuel would make sense for Jacksonville, it's hard to tell from an outside perspective if it would consider trading for him. But if the Jags give it strong consideration, they could offer any of the next three packages to the 49ers.
The Jaguars trade a 2026 first-round pick for Deebo Samuel
If the Jaguars want to outbid other teams for Samual, they can straight-up offer a first-round for Deebo Samuel, but it would come with a catch. The 49ers may want to wait until June 1st to trade him, so they can spread his cap hit to 2026, so they can get a bit of cap relief. If that's the case, Jacksonville will need to wait until then to acquire him, but that's not a bad thing.
The Jags hold the No. 5 overall selection in this year's draft. That's too high a pick, so they may not be willing to part ways with it. Then again, they're expected to improve in 2024, and if they do, they will have a lower pick next year.
If San Francisco waits until June to trade Samuel, the draft will have taken place. The Jags could offer their 2025 first-round pick — not knowing where they'll pick — then.
The Jaguars trade Devin Lloyd, a 3rd-round selection for Deebo Samuel
The Jaguars entered the offseason with a handful of needs. Linebacker isn't one of them with Foyesade Oluokun, Devin Lloyd, Ventrell Miller, and Chad Muma in the fold. If they wanted to, they could trade one of them.
Lloyd would make the most sense even if trading him doesn't create any cap space. His salary for 2025 is guaranteed, so moving on from him would create $4.1 million in dead money. Then again, Miller outplayed him whenever he was given a chance. Moreover, Oluokun just got a three-year extension last year, so he isn't going anywhere.
The 49ers could use help at linebacker, as Drew Greenlaw and Da'Vondre Campbell are slated to hit the open market. The Jaguars could ship Lloyd to the Bay Area and throw in a third-round pick to get a deal done. They have an extra one after moving down a few spots in last year's draft.
The Jaguars give the 49ers a 2nd-round pick and Antonio Johnson in exchange for Deebo Samuel
Antonio Johnson seemed like an ascending star after a promising rookie season. A fifth-round pick in the 2023 draft, he supplanted Tre Herndon as the primary nickel cornerback and flashed whenever he was given playing time. The Texas A&M Aggie was expected to keep making strides after switching to safety, his natural position, last year. But he struggled and was benched in favor of Darnell Savage.
Johnson would benefit from a clean slate with the new coaching staff, but if the new regime doesn't think he's a fit, it could ship him and a second-round selection in exchange for Samuel.