Could Deebo Samuel be heading to the NFC North?

If the San Francisco 49ers trade wide receiver Deebo Samuel this year, could the Minnesota Vikings have to deal with him in the NFC North?

Sure, it would be amazing if the Minnesota Vikings could figure out a way to acquire All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers.

Anything is possible (especially during the 2022 NFL offseason), but the actual chances of Samuel ending up with the Vikings seem pretty low.

However, if the 49ers actually do end up trading the talented receiver, some believe he could land in the NFC North. If this happens, Minnesota would have to face Samuel twice each season.

Two NFC North rivals of the Minnesota Vikings listed as possible landing spots for San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra recently listed 10 teams from around the NFL that could potentially acquire Samuel in a trade with San Francisco before the start of the 2022 season.

Among the teams Patra listed were the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, two divisional rivals of the Vikings.

If the Packers were to acquire Samuel, the addition of the All-Pro pass catcher “would alleviate serious concerns about the receiver room in Green Bay” after the departure of Davante Adams earlier this year according to Patra.

For the Lions, Patra believes they could be a potential destination for Samuel since Detroit currently is in need of an “alpha veteran receiver,” and the work ethic of the current 49ers pass-catcher “fits with Dan Campbell’s modus operandi.”

If forced to pick between the two, Samuel going to the Lions would be less worrisome for Minnesota. However, he has the talent to elevate Detroit’s offense, and turn the unit into one that could cause problems for the Vikings in future matchups between the two NFC North rivals.

Samuel ending up with the Packers would be a nightmare because everyone knows how dangerous he could be in an offense that has Aaron Rodgers as its starting quarterback. Even Patra mentioned how the San Franciso receiver would “fit perfectly” in Green Bay’s offense.

But the Packers are viewed as one of the biggest rivals for the 49ers in the NFC, so the chances, thankfully, seem low that Samuel would be sent to Green Bay.

No matter what happens with Samuel, it continues to become clearer and clearer each day that he doesn’t want to stay in San Francisco.