Deebo Samuel trade update should be music to Steelers’ ears

Myles Garrett has submitted the most consequential trade request of the offseason, but as far as players with significant odds of actually getting moved, Deebo Samuel stands apart from the crowd. His days with the San Francisco 49ers were numbered as soon as Brandon Aiyuk put pen to paper on that four-year contract.

Samuel has received permission to explore trade options. The 29-year-old is no longer at the top of his game, but Samuel's Swiss Army skill set ought to fit anywhere. He's such a dynamic and versatile talent, it's hard to imagine him not impacting winning. It helps that he carries a cap hit of $15.8 million next season, which is easy to stomach in today's bloated market.

The 49ers shouldn't struggle to find interested suitors. That said, San Francisco may have trouble cobbling together significant return value. Samuel is entering the final year of his contract and he's on the downswing of his career. As such, teams will be looking to add the multifaceted wideout at a bargain price.

"I don't anticipate that the 49ers will get a lot for Samuel because he is also going to have to need to be extended," ESPN's Jeff Darlington said on SportsCenter. "And it's pretty clear that the 49ers will likely have to cut him if they don't trade him, so they really don't hold much leverage here."

That is exactly what the Pittsburgh Steelers like to hear.

Steelers should be able to poach Deebo Samuel from 49ers without giving up much

Pittsburgh desperately needs another productive wideout next to George Pickens. Few fits are cleaner than Samuel, who gives Arthur Smith a malleable option closer to the line of scrimmage while Pickens runs his deeper routes. Pickens, for all the flak he gets, is one of the most explosive big-play receivers in football. There'd be strong parallels to Samuel's partnership with Aiyuk in San Francisco.

This Steelers front office has been fishing for wide receiver upgrades since last offseason. The Mike Williams trade never really panned out. Omar Khan is not known for his aggression, but with Samuel available for next to nothing and the Steelers unburdened by a significant quarterback contract, there's really no excuse not to push the (exceedingly few) necessary chips in to acquire Samuel.

Whether Pittsburgh opts to run it back with Justin Fields, gamble on Aaron Rodgers' retirement tour, or take a more unexpected route at quarterback, Samuel's impact would be deeply felt. So much of a quarterback's success boils down to the weapons around him. Pittsburgh has a lot of work to do elsewhere, such as the offensive line and the RB room, but adding a second impact receiver opposite Pickens would open up Smith's playbook considerably.

Samuel helpfully does a bit of everything. He notched 42 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown across 15 games last season. Just as easily as he lines up wide or in the slot, Samuel can produce on designed runs out of the backfield. The Steelers' run game needs a bit more juice. Samuel's speed and elusiveness in the open field ought to prove consequential across the board.

There may be competition for his services — Pittsburgh isn't the only team in need of a sparky playmaker like Samuel — but with the price so low, both in terms of outgoing assets and salary, the Steelers have no excuse not to get this deal across the finish line. It's time for Khan and the front office to deliver meaningful results.