If it wasn’t for Deebo Samuel’s contract, the 49ers might’ve been able to get a valued trade done during the NFL draft.

Deebo Samuel arguably had the most memorable season by a 49ers player in years after his 2021 campaign.

The best way to describe him was that he was a “majestic gazelle” in 2021. That is how insane and phenomenal he was that year. It was a season-long performance that allowed him to get his lucrative contract extension from the 49ers.

However, fast forward to the 2024 offseason and you’ll find that the 49ers have already considered trading Samuel. Ever since the 49ers locked him into an extension he hasn’t come close to his 2021 impact. Now, it is unfair to expect him to replicate that, but he has hardly had half of that impact.

That is why the 49ers drafted his replacement in Ricky Pearsall in the first round. It seems they are getting ready to move on without him for the future and they were willing to do it for this year too. So, do the 49ers regret giving Samuel his contract extension?

I don’t believe it is the actual extension, but the structure of it that is bothering them. I’m sure they wished they lowered the price a bit and gave themselves more control of being able to move off it. The 49ers were in a tough position when Samuel was due for an extension.

He had just completed the best season of his career and easily carried the offense. But the year before he was a ghost due to injury and little impact in the games he did play in. As for his rookie season, he ascended as soon as the 49ers acquired Emmanuel Sanders and showed a lot of promise.

So, Samuel had one promising year, a bad year, and an astronomical year. That’s a pretty tough situation to be in. Not to mention that Samuel proved his worth more as a running back than an actual receiver, so his contract should’ve been a bridge between top running back money and receiver money.

The 49ers adore Samuel. He is obviously one of their leaders and actually had a pretty solid season in 2023. But I think it has become clear now after two seasons under his extension that this is who he is now. He is capped out as a player. Samuel is someone who will miss a few games, be non-existent in a few, dominate several, and be a decoy in others.

They have a better option on offense anyways. Christian McCaffrey is the star player with the ball in his hands and Brandon Aiyuk is the receiver that Samuel can never come close to. It’s why the 49ers considered trading him and eventually got his replacement.

Giving Samuel his extension was necessary, but the 49ers have to be looking back wishing they structured it differently.