Former Super Bowl rival linked to Chiefs as Rashee Rice replacement

It's no secret that the San Francisco 49ers view at least one of their top-tier receivers as expendable. First it was Brandon Aiyuk, who was floated in trade rumors prior to the 2024 NFL Draft, but ultimately stayed by the Bay. John Lynch has since claimed the two sides are working on a contract extension.

San Francisco selected a wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall, in the first round of said draft, leading to even more speculation that one of Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel could be on the move. Of the pair, Samuel is the oldest, and the wear and tear of playing a multi-faceted threat in the 49ers offense could start to get to him sooner rather than later. The NFL is a tough business, and Lynch sees an expiring asset.

Still, Samuel is entering his age-28 season. He still has a few years left in his prime, and in the right offense (like Kyle Shanahan's) can be an electric playmaker. Could the Kansas City Chiefs get involved?

Kansas City Chiefs linked to Deebo Samuel

The 49ers valued Aiyuk quite a bit, with tense negotiations between teams ending with one side hanging up the phone as Lynch demanded at least a first-round pick in return. It's fair to assume San Francisco would want the same for Samuel.

Samuel is signed to a three-year, $71.5 million deal that the 49ers may want out of. There's only one way to do just that, as explained by Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine:

"One way out of their dilemma is to find a team that is willing to take on Deebo Samuel after June 1. The Niners would save a whopping $22 million against the cap in 2024 if they could find a trade partner," Ballentine wrote.

Chiefs link to Deebo Samuel comes with mixed reviews

Considering both Rashee Rice's legal situation and Kansas City's need for a true slot receiver threat, Samuel makes a lot of sense if Brett Veach is willing to pay his price tag. Teams like the Chiefs often hoard high draft picks for good reason, as it's tough to build an annual Super Bowl contender with so many expensive pieces. As Ballentine explains, Samuel would thrive in the Chiefs offensive system.

"Samuel has provided diminishing returns over the last two seasons but still had over 1,100 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Some of Samuel's success has been due to playing in a Kyle Shanahan system, but Reid is one of the best offensive minds in the game."

The question isn't whether the Chiefs can get the most out of Samuel -- odds are he'd perform quite well in Kansas City. It's if Samuel is worth his price tag and the draft capital it would cost to acquire him in the first place.

Veach has proven himself as a salary cap gymnast before, but taking on this much of Samuel's salary is too much to ask. Perhaps the 49ers can lessen the blow in this scenario, thus making a deal far more likely.