Author: Adam La Rose

Deebo Samuel is known to be on the trade market, and the 49ers are prepared to honor his request to be moved. A pair of serious serious suitors have emerged.

The Commanders and Texans have shown “significant interest” in acquiring Samuel in recent days, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. He adds that talks have progressed at the Combine, meaning an agreement could soon be in place. While other teams could find themselves in play, Washington and Houston have been the most aggressive to date, per Schultz.

Both teams represent logical suitors for a veteran receiver addition. Washington has 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels attached to his initial NFL contract through at least 2027, giving the team a window of opportunity to make a strong push in terms of acquisitions this offseason. Bringing in a secondary option to complement Terry McLaurin is known to be on the Commanders’ radar.

McLaurin is only on the books for one more year, and none of his 2025 base salary ($15.5MM) is guaranteed. An extension could be on tap as a result, and Washington could stand to make a number of additions on the defensive side of the ball during free agency and the draft this spring. Still, adding a wideout with a stronger track record than the likes of Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus, Luke McCaffrey or Noah Brown – the latter of whom wants to re-sign – would be feasible.

Just like the Commanders, the Texans have the benefit of an affordable high-end quarterback under team control for years to come in the former of C.J. Stroud. Houston assembled a strong trio atop the WR depth chart last year, acquiring Stefon Diggs via trade from the Bills. Given his presence, along with that of Nico Collins and Tank Dell, expectations were high in 2024. The team’s offense did not preform as hoped, though, and both Diggs and Dell wound up suffering ACL tears.

Diggs is a pending free agent as a result of the restructure he worked out upon arrival in Houston. The team is open to bringing him back, but the injury could complicate his market value. Dell, meanwhile, is in danger of missing most (potentially all) of the 2025 campaign. An experienced pass-catcher would therefore be welcomed, particularly if veteran Robert Woods – who handled a small workload this past campaign – departs in free agency.

One year remains on Samuel’s pact, part of the reason he has long been seen as a trade candidate. That become true to an even larger extent last offseason when the 49ers selected Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the draft and (eventually) worked out a big-ticket extension with Brandon Aiyuk. Samuel, 29, could soon see his San Francisco tenure come to an amicable end.

The former second-rounder earned All-Pro acclaim in 2021, the year in which he best highlighted his unique skillset. Samuel led the NFL in yards per reception (18.2) with a 77-1,405-6 statline. Toward the end of the campaign, he increasingly handled ‘wide back’ duties and racked up eight rushing touchdowns. On the back of that success, he secured a three-year, $71.55MM extension (the end result of a process which included a trade request at one point).

Samuel has missed multiple games each year since signing his pact, though, and only once in that span has he eclipsed 1,000 scrimmage yards. The 49ers could be equipped to move forward with Aiyuk and Pearsall leading the way at the receiver spot, with Jauan Jennings in the fold in a notable complementary role as well. Samuel, if healthy, would nevertheless add a distinct element to any number of offenses.

Schultz’s report also names the Steelers and Broncos as teams which have shown some level of interest. Pittsburgh was linked to many receiver additions last offseason, including extensive trade talks and extension negotiations related to Aiyuk. Denver aims to keep Courtland Sutton in the fold, but the team is not believed to have serious interest in adding a pricey veteran such as Samuel or Cooper Kupp.

A Day 3 pick was recently mentioned as the potential trade price in a Samuel deal. The Commanders are on track to own seven selections, including four on the draft’s final day. The Texans only have six picks at the moment, but they own one in each of the fourth and fifth rounds. It will be interesting to see if an agreement can be reached with either team in the near future.

The Steelers aim to have at least one in-house quarterback on a new deal by the time free agency starts. Further indications have emerged regarding which passer the team prefers on that front.

During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan, ESPN’s Mark Kaboly noted Justin Fields is Pittsburgh’s top target as things stand. He added the team is waiting to see if the former Bears first-rounder is onboard with taking a Steelers contract, something he has expressed interest in this offseason. After spending much of the 2024 campaign as Russell Wilson‘s backup, though, Fields is looking for a path to a starter’s role in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.

Moving on from their Kenny Pickett–Mason Rudolph tandem last offseason, the Steelers signed Wilson and traded for Fields. Both passers were on expiring contracts, and Wilson held onto the top spot on the QB depth chart through training camp before suffering a calf injury. Fields handled starting duties for the first six weeks of the campaign, posting a 4-2 record while posting a 5:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and adding five rushing scores along the way. Head coach Mike Tomlin elected to install Wilson as the starter once he was healthy, though.

That decision was not unanimous, and since the end of the campaign – which was defined in no small part by underwhelming performances from Wilson in particular and the Steelers’ offense as a whole – Fields has maintained support in the organization. Given the age difference between the passers (Fields will turn 26 next week, Wilson is 36), it would come as little surprise if an investment were to made in the younger option. Pittsburgh is unlikely to keep Fields and Wilson in place for another year.

As a result, a preference for the former would leave the latter on the move via free agency for a second straight offseason. Wilson can indeed be expected to depart, CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala noted on her own 93.7 The Fan appearance. The longtime Seahawk has expressed a desire to remain in Pittsburgh, but other options could await him in the event he were to reach free agency. A reunion with Pete Carroll on the Raiders has been floated as a possibility, although they (like the Steelers) have been linked to a Matthew Stafford pursuit.

Pittsburgh is not seen as one of the frontrunners for Stafford, who could of course remain with the Rams via a contract resolution. In that event, both Wilson and Fields could find themselves among the more attractive options on the market once the new league year begins. The Steelers have been in contact with both camps, to no surprise, but a final decision one way or the other could be coming soon. As things stands, Fields is firmly in the lead to receive a deal for at least 2025.