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NFL Star Is Reportedly 20 Pounds Overweight This Offseason

Originally posted on The Spun | By Hunter Hodies | Last updated Feb 14, 2025 9:54 AM ET

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel will be on a different team next season.

He and the team have agreed to seek out a trade partner and he might only cost a day-three draft pick. That price may entice a lot of teams to call on him since he can still make plays on the right field even though his production dipped a little bit this year.

Samuel only finished with 51 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns. All of those numbers were down from the 2023 season when he compiled 60 receptions for 892 yards and seven touchdowns.

Teams that are interested in him will want him closer to the numbers that he put up during the 2023 season. However, according to Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, Samuel is 20 pounds overweight this offseason, and the 49ers think that's what led to him not being able to get through tackles.

"He had a bad year. He is not in shape. I said it on last week's podcast. I keep hearing it, 20 pounds overweight and that led to a lot of his lack of explosion, in their belief, his lack of ability to get through tackles, that has kind of been who he is. That's why he's so valuable. It's not because he's outrunning people," Kawakami said on the 49ers +/- podcast.

"And the sense that Deebo (is like), 'Okay, you don't think I'm that valuable? Let me get out of here.' I think that this has come to an end. This relationship, which was great for Kyle Shanahan and Deebo, I think they're still close, but I think had been bumpy. I've kinda said it before, I think 49ers negotiators, management, and upper management, are more than a little tired of going through this with the receivers. The Aiyuk thing even might have bled into this one."

The 49ers were able to iron out a long-term contract with Brandon Aiyuk last summer even though they almost dealt him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, there was a lot of drama with it and the 49ers don't want to go through that again.

One would think that the Steelers would have interest in Samuel since they need another wide receiver or two heading into the 2025 season. They can't just rely on George Pickens as their only top threat for another year.

Plenty of other teams will call on Samuel so it'll be fascinating to see how this plays out.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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