4 winners (and 2 losers) from 49ers' blockbuster Deebo Samuel trade

The San Francisco 49ers ultimately bent to wide receiver Deebo Samuel's trade request, sending him off to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this year's NFL Draft.

Meanwhile, since the deal went down prior to June 1, the Niners will absorb more than $31 million in dead money.

It seems a rather unorthodox way of doing business, particularly for a cap-conscious San Francisco squad that'll have to dish out a lucrative contract extension to quarterback Brock Purdy in the not-so-distant future.

However, amid reports the 49ers were frustrated with Deebo, perhaps the opportunity to simply wipe their hands clean of the situation was desirable.

Oh, and there are winners and losers from the trade. Notable ones.

🏆 Winners:
1️⃣ [Team Acquiring Deebo] – Instantly adds an elite offensive weapon
2️⃣ Brock Purdy – A new-look offense could elevate his game
3️⃣ 49ers' Cap Space – Major financial flexibility for the future
4️⃣ Fantasy Football Owners – Deebo’s new role could boost his value

💀 Losers:
❌ 49ers' Offense? – Losing Deebo’s versatility could hurt
❌ [Team Losing Draft Capital/Players] – Paying a heavy price for Deebo

Winner: Deebo Samuel

Samuel requested the trade and got it, and it isn't as if the Niners sent him off to a bottom-feeding squad like the New England Patriots or Tennessee Titans. No, Samuel joins quarterback Jayden Daniels and the upstart Commanders who'll be in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt for the foreseeable future.

What's more important for Samuel, at least financially, is he gets to keep his current contract (worth up to $17.5 million, per Over the Cap), which is far more than what he would have received as a free agent if San Francisco released him outright.

Getting a fresh start while receiving all his money and now with a top playoff contender is about as good an outcome as possible for Deebo.

Winner: Commanders

Samuel might not be a true No. 1 weapon at this stage of his career, and it's not hard to see he hasn't been the same kind of player as he was back during his first-team All-Pro 2021 campaign.

That said, and thanks to Daniels' rookie contract, Washington can afford to take swings at talent to surround its young quarterback.

As Pro Football Network wrote:

"Few true Super Bowl windows are open as long as we hope and it is clear that this franchise has every intention of making the most of this opportunity.

Their team gets better in a spot of need (Samuel is one of the best after-the-catch receivers of this generation and playoff teams last season averaged 11.8% more YAC yards per grab than teams who failed to qualify) while also weakening a team that represented the NFC in The Big Game just two seasons ago."

All it took to make it happen, aside from absorbing Samuel's remaining contract, was a fifth-round pick.

Loser: Brandon Aiyuk

Well, sort of.

Fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk wanted to push a trade to play with Daniels and the Commanders last offseason amid his own high-profile extension standoff.

Instead, Aiyuk's former teammate gets to play in Washington.

Aiyuk got his payday anyway. And, assuming he also isn't dealt, Aiyuk should return as the 49ers' WR1 once healed from last year's ACL and MCL tears, also benefiting from a thinned-out wide receiver room.

Winner: Ricky Pearsall

It's been evident for a while the Niners wouldn't be able to retain both Aiyuk and Samuel for the long haul, and they seemed to acknowledge this late in Round 1 of last year's draft by drafting wide receiver Ricky Pearsall.

Pearsall, who suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound in an attempted robbery mere days before the regular season began, came on late his rookie season after recovering and appears to be a legitimate candidate to assume more duties in the post-Samuel era.

Plus, Pearsall might also benefit from Aiyuk's own post-injury situation with the latter potentially not being fully recovered when the 2025 season rolls around.

With Samuel out of the mix now, Pearsall and fellow receiver Jauan Jennings are poised to occupy the top two spots on the depth chart.

Winner: George Kittle

Pearsall should see an uptick in attention with Samuel gone, but a true beneficiary is All-Pro tight end George Kittle.

Despite coming off yet another 1,000-yard season amid San Francisco's frustrating 2024 campaign, Kittle is nevertheless underutilized as a true No. 1 pass-catching threat. While having a plethora of offensive weapons is rarely a bad thing, the 49ers would be wise to funnel their aerial attack through the best tight end in franchise history, who is still playing at an elite level despite being on the wrong side of 30 years old.

Unlike last season, when Samuel complained about not getting the ball enough, and the Niners responded in kind with attempts to involve him more, Kittle can play an even larger role in the passing offense.

It's hard to envision him doing anything but making the most of those opportunities.

Loser: 49ers' reputation

In fairness to San Francisco, it was dealt a tough situation to overcome with Samuel wanting out and made the most of it by honoring his request. It's better than saying "no" and forcing the receiver to hang around, creating potential problems within the locker room as a result.

Sure, the 49ers could have released Samuel with a post-June 1 designation to save cap space, but doing right by the former second-round draft pick carries a positive reputation among players.

That said, the Niners take a substantial hit by acknowledging one of their now-former stars no longer wanted to play there. As such, San Francisco might not exactly be a preferred destination for others who see the red and gold as a prime location where winning a Super Bowl is possible.

Plus, the 49ers carry more proverbial "egg on their hats" by first restructuring Samuel's contract last season, which caused plenty of trickle-down effects at the time of his trade. In hindsight, the Niners wish they had either not done the restructure, or in larger hindsight, honored his first trade request way back in 2022 when he began his decline but his stock value was at an all-time high.