Wednesday was a dark day in Santa Clara as Deebo Samuel, the 49ers' most important offensive player, told ESPN's Jeff Darlington that he requested a trade from San Francisco.
Samuel is entering the final season of his four-year rookie contract and is coming off a season in which he was the most dynamic offensive weapon in football. He notched a career-high 1,405 receiving yards with six touchdowns while gaining 365 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
The 49ers aren't eager to fulfill Samuel's request, nor should they be. They hold the contractual leverage in this situation. They know Samuel is vital to what they do on offense and to their Super Bowl dreams.
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General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan likely will do everything they can to wait out Samuel and try to mend the relationship. If usage is a key issue, that can easily be fixed. Contracts can be worked out.
And recent 49ers history suggests a reason for optimism on this front.
The last two players to demand a trade were running back Raheem Mostert and kicker Robbie Gould. In each instance, the 49ers' brass didn't give in and both players reversed course, returned to the 49ers, and signed new deals.
Of course, Samuel's trade value is much higher than either Gould or Mostert.
Per NFL Research, Samuel is coming off a season in which he had more receiving yards (1.405) than Tyreek Hill, more yards per catch (18.2) than Ja'Marr Chase, more yards after catch over expectation (403) than Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson, and Hill combined. He also had more yards per rush (6.2) than Jonathan Taylor.
Needless to say, there should be several teams lining up to trade for Samuel, but the 49ers will ask for a king's ransom to even think of moving the star wide receiver.
RELATED: Which teams could target Deebo?
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It's not exactly clear why Samuel wants to leave the 49ers. All we know is that, for now, he no longer wants to wear red and gold.
It's a shocking turn from a player who was the heart and soul of a 49ers team that was a fourth quarter away from the Super Bowl.
The best opportunity for the 49ers to get the best value in return for Samuel could come in the next week as the 2022 NFL Draft approaches. But Shanahan and Lynch almost certainly will be patient and try to rectify whatever issues led to Samuel's displeasure with the 49ers.
The 49ers' recent history tells us that this course of action could lead to a change of heart. But every situation is different, and Samuel, at least for now, appears set on continuing his career elsewhere.