Deebo Samuel got his wish after he was traded by the San Francisco 49ers to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
While Samuel had been an integral part of the 49ers, helping them reach the Super Bowl in 2024, he felt he needed to move on and requested to be traded.
With the exit of Samuel, the status of Brandon Aiyuk has become even more crucial for San Francisco as it looks to tinker with its receiving corps. Aiyuk is still recuperating from ACL and MCL injuries, which limited him to just seven games this season after signing a four-year, $120 million extension in August.
Aside from the former All-Pro Second Team member, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and Trent Taylor are all under contract for next season.
According to 49ers general manager John Lynch, the 26-year-old Aiyuk is "doing well" in his road to recovery.
"He's putting in the work," said Lynch in a report from ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "That's what you have to do. And I've always said the real top-end athletes tend to heal at a little faster rate, and I think that's going on with Brandon as well, but there's like a big test at some point.
"We'll see where that lies."
The 49ers are eager to bounce back from a dismal campaign, which saw them miss the playoffs with a 6-11 win-loss record. Getting hit by injuries to key players throughout the season didn't help, with Aiyuk's knee issues being a critical blow.
To recall, Aiyuk also requested to be traded before he and the 49ers agreed on his lucrative extension.
