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Deebo Samuel reportedly asked 49ers to trade him

It looks like star wide receiver/running back Deebo Samuel and the San Francisco 49ers are headed for a breakup.

According to ESPN's Jeff Darlington, Samuel has asked the Niners to trade him, for reasons he hasn't yet revealed.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Samuel asked the Niners for a trade a week ago and that the team has "been aware of Deebo’s feelings for a while." They'd reportedly been looking to extend Samuel for the long haul, and his feelings are why there had been no talks on a contract extension.

We don't know what Samuel's reasons are, but we may know what they're not. According to Rapoport, it's not about money.

Niners reportedly ready to pay Samuel

The first hint of discord between the 26-year-old Samuel and the Niners came April 7 when he unexpectedly scrubbed every mention of the team from his social media. Samuel has never played for an NFL team besides the 49ers, who took him in the second round of the 2019 draft.

With Samuel's rookie contract set to expire after next season, an extension was one of the 49ers' priorities this offseason. And according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, who appeared on "NFL Live" on Tuesday, they were ready to pay him. But Samuel reportedly cut off extension talks. On the broadcast, Schefter reported:

Listen, San Francisco wants to pay Deebo Samuel. But Deebo Samuel was the one who scrubbed the 49ers off his social media page. Deebo Samuel was the one who made it known that he was the one who wanted to move on.

San Francisco would pay Deebo Samuel today, tomorrow, the next day. It’s not hard to figure out what the contract would look like. We’ve seen some of the top numbers in the league.

This right now is Deebo Samuel not wanting to get a deal done. It’s not San Francisco willing to do a deal. Deebo Samuel is the one who put a halt to everything right now.

Deebo Samuel has reportedly asked the 49ers to trade him. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Deebo Samuel has reportedly asked the 49ers to trade him. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)

Wednesday's report about Samuel requesting a trade puts most of these puzzle pieces together. However, there are still a few pieces missing since Samuel's reasons for wanting out still aren't known. Rapoport reported that money isn't the reason he's requested a trade, and that it could be related to his usage. But with several wide receivers signing huge contracts this offseason, money could be at least one of the reasons.