The NFL rumor mill has picked up in recent days as it has been revealed that the wide receivers that were picked in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft are all looking to now cash in on lucrative contracts. One of those players is Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers, who are also looking to move quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Could the Carolina Panthers be a trade destination for both guys?
Samuel let the team know that he wanted to be traded earlier this week, setting off a firestorm. The South Carolina product is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is coming off of the best season in his young career.
Samuel led the NFL in yards per reception last season with 18.2. He caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns but was just as productive as a running back. He ran the ball 59 times for 365 yards and eight more scores.
Now that he has requested a trade, every team in the league could be lining up offers for him. There isn’t an offense that he wouldn’t improve with his dual-threat skill set and all-around strong game.
One interesting landing spot that has been mentioned is the Panthers. The Panthers are interesting because they have also been linked to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Could Carolina pull off a deal that nets them both Garoppolo and Samuel?
One NFL insider suggested a blockbuster trade between the teams. The Panthers would trade the No. 6 overall pick, Robby Anderson and Yetur Gross-Matos to the 49ers in exchange for Garoppolo and Samuel.
The 49ers would be getting a prime selection in this year’s draft to replace the first-round pick that they traded away to move up and select Trey Lance in last year’s draft. Anderson would step right into the starting wide receiver role being vacated by Samuel, providing the offense with a legitimate deep threat to complement Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. Gross-Matos was a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft that would provide the 49ers with some pass-rushing depth defensively.
For Carolina, this would be an all-in type of scenario for Matt Rhule. Squarely on the hot seat, he makes a big splash by acquiring a veteran quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo to help get the offense back on track. Acquiring Samuel gives Garoppolo one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL, as the Panthers already have D.J. Moore on the roster.
The 49ers don’t want to trade Deebo Samuel, but getting back a premium draft pick could pique their interest and get them to the negotiating table.
