Trade idea lands Samuel in New York with Malik Nabers
Darius Slayton is likely leaving in free agency. Jalin Hyatt has been a disappointment. Wan’Dale Robinson catches a lot of passes, but doesn’t generally go very far with them.
The New York Giants’ primary focus this offseason will, and should, be finding the right quarterback. It is also true, though, that getting more wide receiver help for Malik Nabers and whoever that quarterback will be should also be on GM Joe Schoen’s to-do list.
Should Deebo Samuel be a target?
The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver/offensive weapon has requested a trade and the 49ers are likely to try and accommodate him. Tyler Brooke of 33rd Team thinks the Giants are among the logical landing spots.
Brooke proposes that the Giants send their third-round pick (No. 65 overall) to the 49ers for Samuel and pick No. 112 in round 4. He writes:
“Outside of Nabers, the Giants don’t have another impact playmaker at receiver or tight end. Darius Slayton will be a free agent, while Wan’Dale Robinson had just 1.21 YPRR despite significant volume in the slot in 2024.
“The Giants could try to take Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft, but even if they do so, they can’t have a rookie quarterback trying to force-feed one target, even one as talented as Nabers. Adding a safety blanket underneath in a veteran like Samuel is the perfect way to settle down a rookie quarterback early in their career, especially with a coaching staff led by Brian Daboll.
“Nabers and Samuel bring a great one-two punch to any offense, especially one that will likely be getting a new quarterback this offseason.”
Valentine’s View
This is one of those offseason proposals that might be worth talking about. I do not, though, think it would, or should, happen.
Samuel has been a terrific player for the 49ers. He is, though, a 29-year-old, high-mileage player who has absorbed a lot of physical punishment during his six-year career and is coming off a poor season. In fact, his second poor season in three years.
Samuel averaged career lows in receiving success rate (40.7%), receptions per game (3.4), yards receiving per game (44.7), yards per rushing attempt (3.2) and yards per touch (8.7) in 2024.
It is fair to wonder if Samuel, a 6-foot, 215-pound player who has always relied his physicality, is in decline.
There was also some speculation that the 49ers were unhappy with Samuel’s weight at the end of the season.
The viral photo below of Samuel in an A.J. Brown jersey not looking like a finely-conditioned athlete (whether that was really the case or whether the angle of the photo did Samuel a disservice) didn’t help him:
Deebo Samuel is here at Super Bowl LIX wearing an AJ Brown jersey pic.twitter.com/Ls3zF0eH2y
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) February 5, 2025
Samuel has one year left on a contract with a base salary of $8.9 million. After that, he has four void years which would lead to a $33.1 million cap hit in 2026. The Giants would likely want to re-negotiate that deal should they acquire him.
That, though, is the question. Should they acquire him?
If it’s me, I would rather take a one-year flier on Stefon Diggs, who had a lot of success with Brian Daboll during their time together with the Buffalo Bills. Diggs is 31 and coming off a torn ACL, but paired with Nabers and with Daboll knowing how to use him could still be highly productive.
Spotrac estimates Diggs’ market value at one-year, $13.4 million.
For me, that would be a better play than trading assets and probably having to renegotiate a deal with Samuel, who may be a fading player.
Your thoughts, Giants fans?
