Deebo Samuel reunites with 49ers amid injuries to wide receivers Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk
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- Deebo Samuel agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal to rejoin the 49ers (per Rapoport), returning to the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft after a single season in Washington
- Samuel's 2021 peak season produced 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards, and 14 total touchdowns, earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors and helping San Francisco reach two NFC Championship wins
- Samuel spent last season in Washington, leading the Commanders in catches (72), receiving yards (727), and touchdowns (5) — his most receptions since that 2021 peak
- Ricky Pearsall is battling knee swelling from a prior PCL injury and has appeared in just 20 of 32 possible regular-season games since his 2024 first-round selection
- Christian Kirk, acquired this offseason, suffered a calf injury on the opening day of training camp, leaving free-agent signing Mike Evans and second-round rookie De'Zhaun Stribling as the top healthy receivers
- Samuel is expected to slide into the "Z" receiver spot where he thrived during his first San Francisco stint, though coach Kyle Shanahan is not expected to deploy him as heavily as in years past
Why it matters: The 49ers' receiving corps was gutted by injuries to Pearsall (20 of 32 games played since 2024) and Kirk (calf injury on day one of camp) just as training camp opened, forcing the franchise to bring back a familiar veteran on a team-friendly $7 million deal. Samuel, ranked only No. 53 in this free-agent class, gives Kyle Shanahan a proven scheme fit at the Z spot — making this a depth patch for a contender whose receiving depth was dangerously thin, not a marquee upgrade.
