The San Francisco 49ers have granted Deebo Samuel Sr. and his agent, Tory Dandy, permission to seek a trade.
The development 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 told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “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.”
Last month, 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters that the team did not plan to release Samuel.
“Deebo is under contract,” Lynch said. “[He’s] 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.”
The 49ers restructured Samuel’s contract in September, a move that means if the Niners were to trade or release him before June 1, 2025, they would have to absorb a $31.55 million dead money hit on the cap. The team can also move on from him using a post-June 1 designation after the new league year begins on March 12 and before his March 23 option bonus is due; if they do that, that cap hit would be decreased to $10,751,753 over the next two years.
Samuel is coming off a disappointing, injury-plagued season in which he finished with 806 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns (career lows save for a 2020 season in which he played just seven games).
He has been with the 49ers since 2019, when San Francisco selected him in the second round of the draft. He has 334 receptions for 4,792 yards and 22 touchdowns in his career. He also has 20 rushing touchdowns.
The 49ers signed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million extension in August 2024 and also selected receiver Ricky Pearsall in the first round of last year’s draft.