With the NFL Scouting Combine officially kicking off this week, offseason speculation is in full swing. When team executives and front office members from around the league are together under one roof, trade rumors will naturally follow.
One of the biggest trade storylines of the offseason is surrounding Deebo Samuel and the San Francisco 49ers. The star wide receiver requested a trade after the conclusion of the 2024 season and the 49ers granted it as the 29-year-old enters the final season of his contract.
At the combine, decision-makers were obviously asked about the possibility of trading for Samuel. One of the teams that are expected to show interest in the former All-Pro receiver is the Houston Texans. Head coach DeMeco Ryans didn't deny their interest in Samuel, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan.
DeMeco Ryans on Deebo Samuel being available:
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) February 25, 2025
"Always interested in good players, and he's a good player."
via: @NBCS49ers pic.twitter.com/geMQ76lgEX
Texans Head Coach Didn't Deny Their Interest in Trading for Deebo Samuel
When asked about the potential trade, Ryans didn't necessarily give an emphatic yes but said Samuel is a good player and the Texans are always interested in good players.
The fit between the Texans and Samuel is obvious. Tank Dell could potentially miss the entire 2025 season after suffering a brutal injury late in the season. Stefon Diggs is coming off a torn ACL and could leave in free agency. The Texans, after seeing their offense struggle in a big way down the stretch, want to add another elite playmaker opposite Nico Collins for next season.
Ryans is very familiar with Samuel and his game. The Texans head coach was with the 49ers for Samuel's first four seasons in the league, first as the inside linebackers coach and then as the defensive coordinator. Even though he never directly coached Samuel, he likely knows the star receiver as well as any coach in the league.
There hasn't been much reported or confirmed interest in Samuel so far. We will almost certainly hear more on that front once free agency kicks off, but where Samuel will be playing football next season remains a big mystery.