Former South Carolina wide receiver Deebo Samuel was drafted by the San Fransisco 49ers back in 2019. Samuel helped the Niners get to two Super Bowls but fell in both of them to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and in 2023.
Samuel's career has been one of extreme highs and extreme lows, riddled with injuries. The former Gamecock had a phenomenal early start with the Niners in his career, but the last few years have been less than ideal for the star wide receiver. Samuel had his best season with the Niners in 2021 when he went off for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns, the most for both categories in his career.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Samuel was being traded by the team that drafted him back in 2019 to the Washington Commanders. The Commanders are sending a fifth-round pick to the Niners in exchange for Samuel. Samuel was set to make $21.7 million in 2025, which the Commanders will now take on.
Samuel has a lot of love for the Niners and everything they did for him, as well as the 49ers faithful, and he made everyone aware of that with his latest tweet after being traded.
49ers know where I stand with them and it’s nothing but love. Love John and Kyle to death no bad blood no way shape or form. They know I’m more than appreciative of everything they done for me as a player and a man nothing but love ❤️.
— Deebo (@19problemz) March 3, 2025
Samuel has a chance to make a splash, though, with the Commanders as the sixth-year wide receiver is heading to a team that made the NFC Championship this season, falling to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Even though he is a wide receiver, Samuel was also a threat in the run game, which the Commanders will certainly use him for. Samuel, in his career, has 1,143 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. He has 4,792 career receiving yards and 22 career receiving touchdowns.
Niners quarterback Brock Purdy is certainly a top-tier quarterback, but Samuel will now be receiving passes from Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels, who has some different qualities than Purdy that Samuel can benefit from.
While the trade certainly isn't something Samuel was expecting, he said in his tweet that he totally understood where it all came from, and there is no love lost between him and the team that gave him his start back in 2019.