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WATCH: NFL insider speculates reasons Deebo Samuel is seeking trade

James Fletcher IIIby:James Fletcher III•04/21/22•

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After news broke that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel requested a trade, a long list of potential suiters was named across the NFL. However, speculation from ESPN’s Adam Schefter could rule out several teams and shorten the list of suitable destinations for the former South Carolina star.

During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN’s NFL Live, Adam Schefter offered added insight into why he believes Deebo Samuel could be looking for a trade, and where he might want to go.

“There are a lot of receivers right now who are not showing up to their team’s offseason programs,” said Schefter. “Deebo Samuel not there, scrubbed the 49ers logos off his social media pages. Clearly unhappy.

“My understanding is – and we’d have to hear from Deebo himself – I’m sure there are a multitude of factors as to why he would like to be traded, but I think one of them is the fact that he simply prefers to be closer to home. South Carolina, not out west in California. California, San Francisco chose him, he didn’t choose that. How many people leave school and go where they don’t have to go? Deebo is in that situation. I think he’d like to be closer to home somehow.”

With the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons being the closest teams to his home in Inman, South Carolina, they could become the favorites if a deal materializes. The next closest teams include the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans.

More about Deebo Samuel

The former South Carolina star, who emerged as a star in 2021, reportedly requested a trade after a stall in contract negotiations this offseason. While Deebo Samuel’s desire to return home could home into play on the market, Adam Schefter also acknowledges the many other details of the situation.

“Now again, there are other issues of course. We’ll see if the two sides can figure out a way to work it out, but it’s still a difficult trade to complete. As much as he doesn’t want to be back in San Francisco, and then the question becomes, if they can’t deal him – what then?”

After a string of blockbuster trades this offseason, including wide receivers Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill, have reset the market for skilled positions moving forward.

During his breakout 2021 season, Samuel caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns. In addition, he also added 59 carries for 365 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground in a hybrid role.