One of the first dominos to fall this offseason came out of the Bay Area when the San Francisco 49ers permitted star wide receiver Deebo Samuel to seek a trade. Samuel's future with the Niners has been up in the air for quite a while as murmurings of a possible trade were tossed around leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft.

Samuel's request is a way of getting ahead of a divorce that has felt inevitable since last offseason when the 49ers drafted receiver Ricky Pearsall No. 31 overall and signed wideouts Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk to contract extensions.

The 49ers do not need Cooper to outperform his capabilities. They need him to hold the fort down till Aiyuk returns and provide a stable presence on the outside next to Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings.

San Francisco 49ers insider Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area has little doubt that wide receiver Deebo Samuel will play elsewhere in 2025. Samuel requested a trade in January, and the 49ers have granted him permission to seek one,

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel requested a trade during the player exit interviews. Whether Deebo is traded or released remains to be seen. The latter depends on how many potential suitors there are for Samuel in the trade market.

One possible landing spot for San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver Deebo Samuel is his hometown team, the Carolina Panthers.