Deebo Samuel Trade Rumors: Patriots, 49ers Had 'Preliminary' Talks; Bills Linked

As the San Francisco 49ers explore trade options with at least one of their star receivers, the New England Patriots had some interest in Deebo Samuel before the start of the 2024 NFL draft.

Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle went from reporting on Tuesday that Samuel was told he wouldn't be traded to now being "likely" moved after the 49ers used their first-round pick to select Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.

Aiyuk would now seem more likely to be staying because the 49ers were reportedly seeking a mid-first-round pick for their 26-year-old wideout.

It's plausible the 49ers could opt to trade Aiyuk for a 2025 first-round pick, but it doesn't make sense for a team that expects to compete for a Super Bowl next season choosing to make itself worse in 2024 by not getting an immediate return.

The contract situations for Aiyuk and Samuel also present a problem for the 49ers. Aiyuk's is more pressing because his rookie deal ends after the 2024 season. He could be seeking an extension worth more than $25 million per season, especially in the wake of Amon-Ra St. Brown (four years, $120 million) and A.J. Brown (three years, $96 million) getting deals from their teams this week.

Samuel is signed through 2025 and remains an electric playmaker, but he does come with plenty of risk. He has missed 15 games in the regular season due to injuries over the past four seasons. The 2021 All-Pro only played nine snaps in San Francisco's playoff win over the Green Bay Packers in January due to a shoulder injury.

The Patriots are a team that can afford to take the risk on a player like Samuel. They used the No. 3 pick in the draft on Drake Maye to give them their quarterback of the future. He needs reliable playmakers to help his transition into the NFL.

San Francisco's asking price will likely determine if a deal comes together. The Patriots currently have one pick in each of the second (No. 34) and third rounds (No. 68) to potentially build an offer around.

Samuel has put up more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in two of the past three seasons. His 12 total touchdowns last season ranked second on the 49ers.