San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said at the NFL combine they would honor Deebo Samuel’s trade request. Lynch made good of his word.
The 49ers have agreed to trade Samuel to the Washington Commanders, a person familiar with the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade isn’t official yet. San Francisco will receive a fifth-round pick in exchange.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the trade.
The trade won’t be official until the new league year on March 12. The trade is also pending a physical.
“There’s a lot of love there,’ Lynch said of Samuel at the NFL combine. ‘There’s a lot of respect there. There’s a lot of shared experiences. So, to let that go, that’s difficult.’
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The Commanders official X page had some fun with the trade, posting an image of Deebo, a character from the movie ‘Friday.’
San Francisco originally drafted Samuel in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.
The versatile wideout is known for his ability to make plays with the football, whether it’s catching passes or running with the football out of the backfield.
Samuel has 334 receptions, 4,792 receiving yards, 22 touchdown catches, 1,143 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns in six seasons.
Samuel’s best year came in 2021 when he tallied career highs in catches (77), receiving yards (1,405), rushing yards (365), rushing touchdowns (8) and yards from scrimmage (1,770). He was named a first-team All-Pro for his 2021 performance.
The Commanders are hoping Samuel can tap into his 2021 form after what was a down final year in San Francisco.
Samuel joins a Commanders team led by NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels. He bolsters a talented offense that includes Terry McLaurin, running back Brian Robinson Jr. and veteran tight end Zach Ertz.