During Super Bowl week, it was reported the San Francisco 49ers are expected to explore trading wide receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason. The All-Pro weapon just turned 29 years old, and is due $17.55 million in what is the final season of a three-year extension he signed in 2022. 

Samuel recorded just 806 yards from scrimmage and scored four touchdowns in 15 games played last season, while averaging a career-low 44.7 receiving yards per game. It was a down year for the 49ers, as they failed to reach double-digit wins for the first time since 2020. Changes are certainly coming this offseason.

Where could Samuel be dealt in the coming months? Garrett Podell of CBS Sports recently listed a few potential landing spots such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. Speaking of the Broncos, when Samuel was asked by Bleacher Report recently about a team that could surprise some people and be special in 2025, he mentioned Denver! 

“I can say Denver,” Samuel said. “Bo Nix is playing really, really good ball right now. Their defense is outrageous. You got P2 (Patrick Surtain II) out there, who’s, I would say the best at the position right now. Probably been for the past two years. 

“I just think you need a couple more pieces and it’ll be what it need to be, and just have to get past Pat Mahomes every year.”

Not only do the Broncos need to upgrade their wide receiving corps this offseason, but Samuel could be a perfect fit for Sean Payton’s “joker” position. 

“We do the evaluation of our team, and the purpose of that is then to establish what we call ‘musts, needs and wants,'” Payton told Kay Adams last week. “I would say we need a ‘joker.'”

What’s a joker? 

“A joker can be a tight end or a running back that has exceptional — we were spoiled here [in New Orleans] when you think about it,” Payton said. “You had Reggie [Bush], you had Jimmy Graham, Jeremy Shockey, Darren Sproles, Alvin Kamara. Those are interior, either tight ends or running backs, that they have to be elite receivers that play tight end or running back. And then you get the matchups. We had quite a few of them here because you are getting two-high defense and you have to work the inside.”

Payton would probably be interested in a versatile veteran they can move around in the offense, but would the Broncos be interested in giving up draft capital for one — and how much would it cost? Regardless, it sounds like Samuel wouldn’t mind being traded to Denver. He thinks the Broncos could be a special team next year.