The San Francisco 49ers signed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to a four-year contract extension worth $120 million on Thursday evening, ending a months-long holdout over money. Just when 49ers fans thought they could rest easy, NFL insider Mike Silver reported that fellow wideout Deebo Samuel could eventually find himself on the trade block as a result. Silver claims an in-season trade could become realistic based on how San Francisco's season is going.
It's somewhat plausible to believe given Samuel's advancing age. With a massive contract extension looming for quarterback Brock Purdy as well, 49ers general manager John Lynch will eventually have to shed money. Samuel is slated to enter a contract year in 2025, so perhaps trading him for draft-pick compensation before losing him for nothing will garner consideration.
We've identified three teams that could consider making an offer for Samuel.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers were the franchise that aggressively pursued a trade for Aiyuk. All indications are that Pittsburgh had tabled offers that included compensation to San Francisco, and an extension to Aiyuk's representation. They'll be most disappointed by Thursday's in-house agreement. Why not shift their attention to Samuel, even in-season?
Head coach Mike Tomlin keeps his Steelers in annual playoff contention, so they'd likely be open to an upgrade. Receiver will continue to be a need opposite George Pickens with an unproven cast of pass-catchers behind him, one that includes third-round rookie Roman Wilson. Samuel would be a terrific weapon for quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, two declining passers who would benefit from Samuel's ability to turn something into nothing.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots named veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett the Week 1 starter on Thursday. It was the expected conclusion to a farce position battle. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye will wait in the wings for his opportunity. By November, Maye could replace Brissett as the starter if the Patriots are struggling as everyone expects them to.
When Maye becomes Jerod Mayo's starting signal-caller, the Patriots should get aggressive in their pursuit to ease his acclimation by surrounding him with more weapons than they currently have in their arsenal. Samuel's ability to remove pressure from his quarterbacks by making plays as a runner and underneath the coverage is a young passer's best friend. The Patriots wouldn't part with a first-round selection, but the 49ers wouldn't get that level of compensation during an in-season trade anyway.
Las Vegas Raiders
I could potentially see the Las Vegas Raiders getting creative. Superstar wideout Davante Adams is often the center of trade rumors. If Las Vegas struggles throughout 2024 and Adams' rumored departure becomes reality, general manager Tom Telesco could quickly replace him with another trusted veteran in preparation for the arrival of a young quarterback.
The Raiders named Gardner Minshew their starting quarterback. Sophomore Aidan O'Connell will hope to get another chance to dethrone Minshew during the season. Both options are temporary solutions. If the Raiders target a quarterback like Shedeur Sanders or Carson Beck in the 2025 NFL Draft, having a weapon like Adams or Samuel will be critical to smoothing the process.