Deebo Samuel is returning to San Francisco. The 49ers reached agreement with the veteran receiver on a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, bringing back a player who spent the first six years of his career with the franchise and defined what versatility at the position could look like in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
The reunion was driven by injury concerns in the receiver room. Ricky Pearsall, the team’s first-round pick from 2024, has swelling in the posterior cruciate ligament of his right knee, and the team acknowledged this week that the situation carries meaningful concern. San Francisco said it was exploring all options, which could include surgery that would sideline Pearsall for an extended period and potentially remove him from the picture for the entire season.
Christian Kirk, a veteran wideout who has missed recent training camp practices with a strained calf, added another layer of urgency to the position group’s situation. The 49ers held workouts with three receivers as they evaluated options before settling on the familiar choice.
A wide back who made the position his own
Samuel was originally drafted by San Francisco in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft and became a fixture in the offense over the seasons that followed. He coined the term wide back to describe his own role, a nod to the fact that Shanahan deployed him not just as a traditional receiver but as a running threat out of the backfield and as a weapon on end-around carries.
The arrangement suited both player and scheme. At his peak in 2021, Samuel combined for 1,770 rushing and receiving yards with 12 touchdowns from scrimmage, earning Pro Bowl selection, first-team All-Pro honors and a spot in the NFC Championship Game as the 49ers made another deep playoff run.
For his career, Samuel has 219 carries for 1,218 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns to go alongside 406 receptions for 5,519 yards and 27 receiving scores. The dual-threat profile made him one of the most difficult matchups in the NFC and one of the players most uniquely suited to what San Francisco does offensively.
The Washington chapter closes quietly
Samuel left San Francisco before the 2025 season, traded to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The deal came as the 49ers managed their salary structure and made decisions about which veterans to retain.
He appeared in 16 games for Washington last season, posting 72 catches for 727 yards and five receiving touchdowns while adding 17 carries for 75 yards and a rushing score. The production was solid without being spectacular, and the one-year nature of his new deal with San Francisco suggests the team is bringing him back as a known and trusted option rather than making a long-term investment at the position.
What the 49ers get back
Samuel rejoins a receiver corps that now includes veteran Mike Evans as its primary established presence. Evans, who signed with the 49ers in the offseason, gives the team a different kind of outside receiver than Samuel, who has always been at his best working underneath and in space. The two can coexist and potentially complement each other depending on how the coaching staff decides to deploy them.
The 49ers are also working through the development of younger receivers including De’Zhaun Stribling, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing. Samuel’s return does not foreclose those players’ chances to earn roles but gives the offense a reliable option from someone who already knows the system, the language and the kinds of reads Shanahan’s scheme demands.
The familiarity factor is real. Samuel does not need a significant adjustment period to understand what is being asked of him because he spent six years learning and executing it. In a situation created by injury and uncertainty, that institutional knowledge is exactly what the 49ers needed.
