Samuel requested a trade in January, and the 49ers granted him permission to seek one, making it appear that the team showed little internal concern about the impact of losing the versatile wideout.
After speaking with sources, Kawakami elaborated on the 49ers' perspective. Samuel is coming off one of his least productive seasons, recording just 806 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns—the worst statistical output of his career outside of his injury-plagued 2020 campaign.
"He had a bad year," Kawakami said on his podcast. "He is not in shape. I said it on last week's podcast—20 pounds. I keep hearing it, 20 pounds overweight. And that led to a lot of his lack of explosion, in their belief, his lack of ability to get through tackles, [which has] kind of been who he is. That's why he's so valuable. It's not because he's outrunning people.
"And the sense that Deebo's, 'Okay, you don't think I'm that valuable? Let me get out of here.' I think that this has come to an end. This relationship, which was great for Kyle Shanahan and Deebo—I think they're still close—but I think had been bumpy."
Samuel responded to Kawakami's remarks on social media later that day, calling the insider's claims false. However, the receiver later deleted his post.
Samuel, 29, has surpassed 900 receiving yards in a season only once—during his breakout 2021 campaign. That year, the dynamic playmaker totaled 1,770 scrimmage yards, including 1,405 receiving yards, and 14 total touchdowns. Since then, he has struggled to approach those types of numbers.
The 49ers drafted Samuel in the second round out of South Carolina in 2019. He earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2021. Now, after six seasons in Santa Clara, the receiver will likely be playing elsewhere in 2025.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers coach outlines Deebo Samuel's workload plan for 2026
The San Francisco 49ers' decision to reunite with wide receiver Deebo Samuel on a one-year deal makes sense. There is plenty of familiarity between Samuel and the organization, allowing him to quickly get back up to speed with his teammates during training camp. However,... -
Deebo Samuel explains why 49ers reunion made perfect sense
It was somewhat surprising when the San Francisco 49ers signed Deebo Samuel to a one-year deal, reuniting with the wide receiver after he requested a trade last year. However, the reunion wasn't surprising to Samuel. He had been in talks with the 49ers for some time, as... -
49ers mailbag: Will Deebo Samuel start? How much will Stribling and Height contribute? How has Brock Purdy looked?
The San Francisco 49ers are in their second week of training camp. There have already been several injuries, but there have also been a lot of good things, too. It should be a fun season. We opened the 49ers Webzone Mailbag this week to find out what was on your mind. Let's... -
49ers WR Deebo Samuel's one-year contract includes intriguing incentive details
Last week, it was widely reported that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel signed a one-year contract worth up to $7 million, reuniting with the team that drafted him in 2019. As is often the case with NFL contracts, however, the initial reported value doesn't tell...