Why Bears trading for Deebo Samuel is a smart move |
Looking at the numbers, the San Francisco 49ers seem to be in good salary cap space, especially after the NFL’s salary cap increase. However, one of their top offensive weapons, Deebo Samuel, has requested a trade. Could the Bears go after him this offseason?
This move would make a lot of sense for Chicago. Head coach Ben Johnson showed with the Detroit Lions that he likes to be creative in his playcalling. Creativity requires versatility, and Samuel is arguably one of the most versatile players in the league right now. He has recorded at least one rushing touchdown since 2020, and Samuel has been incredibly active in the run game. In 2021, he recorded his best season when he made his only Pro Bowl and received his All-Pro selection. That year, he recorded 14 total touchdowns - six receiving and eight rushing. He led the league in yards per reception with 18.2 after he had 1,405 receiving yards from just 77 receptions. Last season was a down year for him and the entire team. In the 15 games he played, Samuel recorded just 670 yards and four touchdowns, his lowest number of touchdowns since 2020. He also received much less action in the running game, although that probably had more to do with Christian McCaffrey being their leading back. With Chicago, Samuel could be wide receiver No. 2 behind DJ Moore and serve as a change of pace back behind D’Andre Swift. Johnson would certainly be able to put Samuel’s versatility to use, and it would greatly help quarterback Caleb Williams to have another reliable veteran to count on. He is also only 29 years old, a little younger than some other wide receivers that may be available this offseason, like Cooper Kupp from the Los Angeles Rams. Another bonus for Chicago is that Samuel has expressed interest in signing a long-term deal with the team he is traded to. Looking back at Hard Knocks, the Chicago Bears tried to pursue defensive end Matt Judon but would not trade for him because they wanted him to sign a long-term contract, which he would not. This shows that general manager Ryan Poles values a player's commitment when making this caliber of trade, and Samuel looks like he is willing to make that commitment. Trading for a veteran wide receiver and having him sign a long-term deal would be an ideal scenario for the Bears. Chicago would be set up for at least the next few seasons at receiver as their top three receivers would be secured to multi-year contracts. When you have a young quarterback like Williams, having this security is invaluable. From the 49ers’ perspective, they are simply trying to get what they can for Samuel. It will create some cap space for them but not give San Francisco a lot of draft capital. His value seems to be at the level of a fourth-round pick. Chicago does not currently hold a fourth-round pick, but they could use their No. 72 overall selection in the first round to acquire Samuel if they wanted to be that aggressive. Chicago should look into trading with the 49ers for Deebo Samuel. This would not be an expensive deal that would hurt the salary cap as Samuel will have a cap hit of under $16 million with San Francisco anyway, and it might cost a third-round selection. Given his talent, versatility, and desire to sign a long-term deal, this would be a smart move for the Chicago Bears.
