Deebo Samuel’s return to the San Francisco 49ers is starting to take shape in a very visible way: the jersey number appears to be lined up.
The biggest clue came Friday from Jacob Cowing, who showed up to practice in No. 6 after previously wearing No. 19. That change matters because No. 19 is the number Samuel made his own during his best years in San Francisco, and Cowing’s move clears the path for Samuel to reclaim it if and when he officially signs with the team.
Samuel’s number has been a talking point since word surfaced that he would be coming back to the 49ers. He wore No. 19 with San Francisco before switching to No. 1 in 2024, a season that was sluggish by his standards.
That year eventually led to the 49ers trading Samuel to Washington for the 2025 season, where he again wore No. 1.
Some fans had hoped Samuel would simply return to No. 19 upon rejoining the 49ers, but Cowing was holding it. At least until Friday.
The Athletic’s Matt Barrows noted the change on the practice field, and the move strongly suggests Samuel will be back in the jersey most closely tied to his 49ers run once he’s on the field again.
ESPN’s Nick Wagoner also reported a couple of other number updates from Friday’s practice. Rookie defensive end Romello Height is back in No. 94 after briefly switching to No. 58 for one practice, and No. 58 now belongs to recently signed veteran defensive end Quinton Bell.
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