A split between the San Francisco 49ers and star receiver Deebo Samuel appears imminent. The former All-Pro receiver asked for a trade during his exit meetings last month and publicly made his intentions known to ESPN’s Adam Schefter during Super Bowl weekend.
While Samuel has been on the trade block before, it’s more likely than ever his days in San Francisco are over. But while Samuel’s resume is appealing to any team looking for playmakers, a former player of a potential suitor is begging his team not to trade for him.
Chris Harris Jr. Hopes the Broncos Don’t Trade For Deebo Samuel
Former Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. took to social media to address the Samuel trade rumors and dubbing a potential deal as making “zero sense.” Harris also praised Marvin Mims in his tweet, suggesting that he could be the weapon that the Broncos think they would be getting with Samuel.
Deebo to Denver makes zero sense when we already have Mims 🤷🏾♂️
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) February 12, 2025
Harris may have a point. The main attraction for Deebo is his 2021 All-Pro season, where he collected 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns to become one of the league’s elite playmakers. While the performance helped him earn a three-year, $71.5 million contract extension, he hasn’t lived up to the hype, averaging 929 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns over the past three seasons.
Samuel’s stock took an even bigger hit last season. The 29-year-old caught a career-low (excluding an injury-shortened 2020 season) 51 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns and managed just 136 rushing yards on 42 attempts for a career-low 3.2 yards per carry.
While Samuel appears to be a declining asset, Mims appears to be ascending. The second-round pick out of Oklahoma in the 2023 NFL Draft had a solid rookie season with 22 catches for 377 yards and a touchdown but set career highs across the board with 39 catches for 503 yards and six touchdowns in his second season.
Mims doesn’t have the rushing production that Samuel has, running for 72 yards on 22 career carries, but he’s become an impact player on special teams, making the Pro Bowl twice and becoming an All-Pro last season with a league-best 15.7 yards per punt return last season.
With Courtland Sutton entrenched as the No. 1 receiver, the Broncos could improve on Mims’s 53 targets from last season and elevate him into a bigger role next year. That could give Bo Nix another playmaker without having to invest assets into Samuel and could even leave the door open to add another receiver in April’s NFL Draft.
It’s another obstacle in what could be a difficult path to trading Samuel but the 49ers seem intent on making a deal whether it’s with the Broncos or somebody else.