# John Middlekauff: Middlekauff says Deebo Samuel's departure from San Francisco is now effectively official — they will not be a 49er in 2025 — and pegs their trade value at only a fifth- or sixth-round pick, with a real chance the team simply has to cut them.

**Claimed:** Feb 27, 2025
**Pundit:** John Middlekauff — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/john-middlekauff
**Outlet:** 3 and Out with John Middlekauff (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://omny.fm/shows/3-and-out-with-john-middlekauff/3-out-combine-update-sean-mcvay-speaks-whats-going

One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.

The call scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.

> So at Deebo Samuel, which all signs pointed to. It's unofficial now will not be a forty nine er in twenty twenty five.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Deebo Samuel Sr. to move**
  - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Deebo Samuel Sr.
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess

## Who this take is about

- Deebo Samuel Sr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/deebo-samuel-sr

## What others said about the same people

- Brian Peacock on Deebo Samuel Sr.: Peacock lays out their projected 53-man roster for the 49ers, position by position: three specialists, three quarterbacks (including Curtis Rourke), five running backs, six receivers (cutting Christian Kirk), three tight ends (cutting Braden Willis), nine offensive linemen, ten defensive linemen (with Mykel Williams on PUP), five linebackers, six cornerbacks and four safeties. They also predict a new player will take center snaps in preseason week three. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/62e9aad7-105c-45a0-95b3-3b43b64603ae (scored 100)
- Eric Crocker on Deebo Samuel Sr.: Crocker argues the 49ers must re-sign Deebo Samuel, framing them as not a No. 1 receiver at this stage, and says they'd trade a second-round pick for Mac Jones if they were Atlanta. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e6f0dbb0-4d9e-41bf-b7f7-2c59137074e4 (scored 91.67)
- Gregg Rosenthal on Deebo Samuel Sr.: Gregg Rosenthal predicted both Ohio State running backs go in the top 50, that Cam Ward has a decent chance to go No. 1 overall and won't fall past the first couple of picks, that Shedeur Sanders is a tier below them, that Jackson Dart won't be drafted much higher than Jalen Hurts' late-second slot, that Brady Cook won't be drafted, and that DeVante Adams is somewhat likely to be cut by the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/89637841-0be4-414d-9dd0-f380cb679557 (scored 91.67)
- Parker Hurley on Deebo Samuel Sr.: Hurley argued the 49ers' real deadline need was a pass-catching tight end rather than a receiver, and stated that Deebo Samuel will be available to play this week for San Francisco. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/ae5291fa-ecc5-4950-9235-fba7a9bbbcd1 (not settled)
- Parker Hurley on Deebo Samuel Sr.: Hurley expects Jordan Watkins to keep starting for the 49ers as the vertical outside receiver in Week 10, with Keenan Allen in the slot and Deebo Samuel working underneath, while Brandin Cooks, Demarcus Robinson and Jacob Cowing are limited to minor roles. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/94aabddc-a825-428c-9e45-ab79f6847f22 (not settled)
- Michael Moore on Deebo Samuel Sr.: Running through the Week 10 injury report, Moore expects Rhamondre Stevenson, Puka Nacua and Mike Evans to sit out, while projecting Amon-Ra St. Brown, Bam Knight, Deebo Samuel, George Pickens and Hunter Henry to be available. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cd84e832-035b-4ba3-90e9-e928c1396bf9 (not settled)

## More trade and signing calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Chris Clark on Nikko Remigio: Clark expects the Chiefs to bring back exclusive-rights receiver Nico (Remigio) and long snapper James Winchester, to re-sign JuJu Smith-Schuster as a cheap veteran fifth receiver, and not to bring back Hollywood Brown, Josh Dobbs-type depth, Gardner Minshew, Janarius Robinson or Mike Caliendo; they also say the Chiefs will not use a franchise tag and believes Bryan Cook won't return. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/99521265-d5c0-4db1-b2a0-fe77908ea0b3 (scored 0)
- Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100)
- Patricia Traina on J.J. McCarthy: Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b638ed13-01ca-4ea6-9384-ec7130f912c1 (scored 100)
- Michael David Smith on Keenan Allen: Smith suggests the Colts are likely to grant Josh Downs' trade request given their contract situation and their recent sell-off, and that they could also try to trade Keenan Allen. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/52d7108f-f754-44e8-9bf3-cc3336b4e5f7 (scored 100)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

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