49ers Talk: What will Deebo Samuel's role be in second stint with San Francisco?
"49ers Talk" co-hosts Matt Maiocco and Jennifer Lee Chan discuss what Deebo Samuel's potential roles are in his return to San Francisco.
49ers Talk: What will Deebo Samuel's role be in second stint with San Francisco? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Video Transcript
It's because of, you know, the stuff that's been happening here, with the 49ers, with a couple of pretty significant injuries.
Of course, the biggest one is Ricky Pearsall, and that just simply does not look good.
And if there's any more of an indication that, that the 49ers are just ultra concerned, that this could be a season-ender type of thing for him.
Well, they bring back Deebo Samuel, and that softens the blow quite a bit.
You know, certainly the situation with Ricky Pearsall, where he has that knee injury, it's related to the PCL injury, the posterior cruciate ligament injury that kept him out for almost half the season last year, including a playoff game as well.
And so it's back to the drawing board there with the swelling in his knee.
Them signing Deebo Samuel indicates that there is something very serious with Ricky Pearsall's knee.
Yeah.
So Deebo Samuel comes back to the 49ers.
Kind of similar, I think we talked about this, you know, Dre Greenlaw tried to get away, but he came right back.
Deebo Samuel tried to get away, but he came right back.
So, yeah, Dre Greenlaw, you'll sign, last year with the Denver Broncos.
They released him after one year.
He re-signs with the 49ers.
Deebo Samuel was traded to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round pick in last year's draft.
49ers used that pick on Jordan James, the running back, and then he remained unsigned through all this time, and it certainly looked as if, you know, the 49ers had moved on and, and they had, but always kept that door open in case he was needed.
And quite obviously, the 49ers feel he's needed.
And so he comes back to a team that looks completely different in the wide receiver room from the, the, the squad that he left that featured Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.
So he's, he's with Mike Evans, DeJean Stribling, DeMarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins.
I mentioned Christian Kirk, Jacob Cowling.
Jacob was around that year.
And then, three of the young guys who are trying to, to earn a spot either on the practice squad or the 53 man, Malik Turner, Will Pauling, and Wesley Grimes.
So, you know, the, the question is, what kind of role is Deebo Samuel going to have?
And, you know, he did-- he wasn't used much in the backfield last year with Washington.
He only had 17 carries, not, not a whole lot of production as a runner.
He did have one touchdown.
But remember now, in those six seasons with the 49ers, he had 20-plus touchdowns, both rushing and receiving.
So it'll just be very interesting to see if he just kind of steps back into the same job description that he had before he left.
Right, and how quickly, right?
How quickly does he step right into where he was before?
And I think them not having Ricky Pearsall is part of it.
And then, yes, like you said, Jordan James, rib contusions, rib fractures, he's been out.
So he does add that running element as well.
So Deebo Samuel is just an athlete and a, a very good one.
He can step in as a running back.
He can do all those gadget plays, and then he can also be a wide receiver-type target for Brock Purdy.
That also is, I think, a huge part of it, right?
He has played with Brock Purdy.
Brock Purdy knows how he comes out of his breaks, what type of routes he runs, where to find him.
I think that also makes it a really easy transition back for Deebo Samuel.
