Will the Steelers pull the trigger on a deal for Deebo Samuel?

It looks like the San Francisco 49ers will have a different receiver room in 2025 as they will likely trade Deebo Samuel. The veteran wideout recently broke his silence about the situation. And here is a perfect trade the Steelers must offer the 49ers for Samuel.

It all comes down to a draft pick. And with the way the market has gone for veteran wide receivers, it should cost the Steelers too much draft capital to land the 49ers’ veteran. They could send a fourth-round pick to the 49ers and pair Samuel with rising star George Pickens.

Samuel’s days as a No. 1 target are gone into a sea of age and injury history. But he still. has the juice to give defenses plenty to think about as the No. 2 option.

Deebo Samuel would be nice fit with Steelers

Of course, this comes with the caveat that the Steelers keep Pickens in Pittsburgh. Beat write Mark Kaboly thinks they will, according to a post on X by Steelers Depot.

Kaboly predicts George Pickens will be back with the Steelers in 2025: “I think I’m really, really thinking or believing that George Pickens will be back. So you better prepare yourself. They’re not just gonna dump him and say, ‘Let’s cut the cancer and just move on here.’ They want to at least have somebody in place, and unless you have a guy who is as talented as him, you’re not going to do that because all of a sudden that compromises your whole offense. I don’t see that happening.”

So this brings Samuel to the forefront. And he’s apparently ready to move on from the 49ers, who feel likewise, according to a post on X by Adam Schefter.

The 49ers have granted Deebo Samuel and his agent Tory Dandy permission to find a trade partner for the wide receiver, Samuel told ESPN. This comes after Samuel asked San Francisco to trade him 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 said today. “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.”

Deebo Samuel still has the talents and skills

San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said he doesn’t think Samuel has lost a step, according to a post on Facebook by 95.7 The Game.

“I don’t think Deebo’s slowed down,” Shanahan said. “(And) I think he got banged up early in the year. I think he had an awesome training camp to where I’d say he didn’t slow down at all. And then got hurt and had the pneumonia.

“When you build up a bunch in camp and you miss a lot of time in practice it is hard to maintain that stuff. But by no means do I think he’s lost it or anything. And then his looks haven’t been as good this year. Just like they haven’t been for everybody. When the 10 guys around you aren’t doing quite as good. Whether it’s the quarterback. Whether it’s o-line. You’re not going to do as good as you did the year before.”

This is good news for the Steelers’ plans to seek a trade for Samuel. And there’s more the Steelers could like. San Francisco general manager John Lynch said in early January he expected Samuel to remain with the team, according to nfl.com.

“Yeah,” Lynch said. “A good player and has done a ton for this organization and we’re not in the business of letting good players (out) of here.”

Steelers can see 49ers still value Samuel

However, with a Brock Purdy extension anticipated, the 49ers have some financial restructuring to explore. It affects guys like defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and could impact dealing Samuel.

“We had some salary-cap challenges and that was something that allowed for the post one, you can early designate it,” Lynch said. “And what I told Javon is he’s a player we really like Same reason we went out and signed him. That hasn’t changed. He’s an impactful player. We did, we do have some challenges and so this doesn’t mean we can’t compete for his services. It allows him though, rather than waiting until post-June 1, and being S.O.L. because free agency already happened, it gives him an opportunity to go see what’s his market and that may include us. So, we’ll get into our plans.”

Another thing that could impact Samuel is the emergence of Ricky Pearsall.

“I thought Ricky had an unbelievable season,” Shanahan said. “I mean, I know the gunshot wound is the biggest obviously, but I’ve never had a rookie player miss all of OTAs and training camp and have much of a successful rookie year. It’s tough to do that.

“For him to do that and then get into Week 1, which I knew he would be way behind because of that situation and then get a gunshot wound kind of made me think that we were going to get nothing from him. Just in terms of how could we and how hard that would be on him. But how quick he came back from that and then when he did. Just to watch him go through rookie things in a live NFL game and then having to watch him come back from that stuff throughout the year. And still hit a rookie wall without a foundation of an offseason and stuff like that. I thought it was a huge success for him this year.”