The San Francisco 49ers will enter the season with questions at wide receiver. Ricky Pearsall will miss the entire season after undergoing knee surgery. Christian Kirk has been sidelined since the opening day of camp with a calf injury. Mike Evans has dealt with a quad issue that has limited his availability in practice.
The injuries forced the front office to act. The answer was a reunion. Deebo Samuel came back to San Francisco after a short stint with the Washington Commanders.
One of his closest teammates believes the league is about to find out what a motivated version of Samuel looks like.
Williams Makes Comment on Deebo
Trent Williams and Samuel never lost touch after the wideout left the Bay Area. The two have maintained a close relationship, staying in regular contact and seeing each other frequently in the offseason. Williams knows where Samuel’s mind is heading into this chapter.
“We probably getting the best Deebo the league has ever seen,” Williams said.
Williams pointed to adversity as the catalyst. Samuel’s year in Washington did not unfold the way anyone envisioned. The team underperformed, the production declined, and for the first time in his career, the narrative shifted from star to question mark.
Williams sees that as the perfect setup.
“I think that may be the first piece of adversity he’s ran into as a football player because he’s been uber talented on every level,” Williams said. “That’s the crazy thing about the NFL. You go somewhere and the team don’t do as good, and then everybody kind of writes you off. I love it though. That’s one of the things, that adversity, that gas in the tank that every player needs.”
GettySANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 30: Deebo Samuel Sr. #1 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium on December 30, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Numbers Tell a Different Story
Samuel’s time in Washington looked underwhelming at first glance. But a closer look at the underlying metrics suggests he is closer to his peak than the public perception reflects.
Among qualifying wide receivers last season, Samuel ranked in the top 10 in yards after catch, yards after catch per reception, and missed tackles forced. His catch rate placed him in the top 15. The ability to create after the reception and make defenders miss never went away.
What was missing was a system built around his strengths and a team winning consistently enough for those numbers to matter in the broader conversation.
He now returns to the offense where everything clicked. Kyle Shanahan’s scheme was where Samuel earned his All-Pro selection and developed into one of the most versatile weapons in football. The familiarity between player and play-caller should make the transition seamless.
GettyWide receiver Deebo Samuel was named as a first team All-Pro by the Associate Press in 2021 after he became the first player in NFL history to record at least 1,405 receiving yards and 365 rushing yards in the same year.
Where Deebo Fits for the 49ers
His versatility adds a dimension the 49ers have been missing. Samuel’s ability to contribute as both a receiver and a runner provides San Francisco with an option to manage the workload of Christian McCaffrey, who carried a significant share of the offensive touches last season.
McCaffrey made his excitement about the reunion clear.
“When he’s in the game, you have to account for him in so many different ways,” McCaffrey said. “He gives us all so much confidence. You know when he’s in the game, he’s got your back.”
GettySan Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Final Word for the 49ers
After the adversity, and the questions, Williams believes that Deebo will be back to his best.
Samuel is back in the Bay. The motivation is real. If Williams is right, the rest of the league should be paying attention.
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