Samuel's request is a way of getting ahead of a divorce that has felt inevitable since last offseason when the 49ers drafted receiver Ricky Pearsall No. 31 overall and signed wideouts Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk to contract extensions.

On Sunday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that star San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel had been granted permission by the team to seek a trade following what Samuel called a “hard conversation” with head coach Kyle Shanahan. Samuel previously asked for a trade following the season during his exit meeting.