There's the first big move of the 2025 NFL offseason.
The deal will not be official until the league year begins on March 12th, but San Francisco 49ers I replaced Devo Samuel, the outstanding wide receiver. Washington Commander In exchange for the fifth pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Samuel, who was in the final year of his contract, requested a deal from the 49ers earlier this offseason, and the organization now accepts his wish.
Is this one of the deals that both parties can declare victory, or does this deal have a clear winner?
Commander Washington: a-
Yes, Samuel didn't produce at his usual level last season – Pneumonia Hospital It may have played a role there – and money is huge.
But this is when Washington makes a big swing on the ideal player for Kliff Kingsbury's offensive. With the commander showing his dreams in the NFC Championship Game and Washington holds the third cap space in the NFL, he can take a shot in such a move and maximize Jayden Daniels' rookie contract window. Add a vertical threat to the draft (this is another solid crop of receivers, and Matthew Golden is Washington's favorite target in the mock draft) And suddenly, there's a lot of extra juice in this passing game.
Plus, giving up just the fifth pick isn't a big price to pay, even on a contract.
San Francisco 49ers: B-
This is a bit difficult to rate from the 49ers perspective.
The returns aren't big and the money is interesting. To make this deal by June 1st means San Francisco will generate $31 million in dead caps and get a $15 million cap hit. On the cap. If San Francisco had been waiting for this contract, those numbers would have dropped to $10 million, saving $5 million cap.
However, Samuel won a $15.4 million roster bonus on March 22nd, which meant San Francisco had a reason to move earlier.
Samuel publicly demanded trade, entering the final year of his contract and ending a down season, his return never became a big deal for San Francisco. Still, the 49ers have got some relief like that, as Washington takes over the remainder of his contract and pays for 2025.
Additionally, the 49ers will win their fifth pick in return. This can be added to this year's draft capital and will help you build your roster for 2025 and beyond. San Francisco may try to add to their large receiver room, given that Brandon Ayyuk is back from a knee injury and Jauan Jennings is in the final year of his current contract.
49ers fans may have wanted more, but given the larger context, this revenue probably matches what the organization wanted.
