Deebo Samuel is back where he knows the ropes, and he says that familiarity made the move to San Francisco feel less like a reunion and more like picking up where he left off.
The 30-year-old is returning to the 49ers on a one-year deal worth up to $7 million, incentives included. General manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan reached out after Ricky Pearsall suffered a season-ending PCL injury, and Samuel ended up back in the offense he knows best, catching passes from Brock Purdy.
For Samuel, the appeal went beyond the 49ers’ need. He pointed to how comfortable everything still felt inside the building and with Shanahan’s system, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
"It kind of felt like I didn't even go nowhere, to be honest. When I got back, I was just like, 'Well, I know what's going on.
I know the people here. Staff still the same.'
So it's kind of like the same for real. Conversations with me, John, and Kyle have just always kind of been the same.
It was just a matter of time before it happened," the 49ers' seven-year veteran said.
Samuel’s lone season with the Washington Commanders was more efficient than his 2024 stretch with San Francisco. He posted a 53.5% receiving success rate, up from 40.7% with the 49ers in 2024, and finished with 727 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns.
That production is part of why San Francisco is betting on the fit. Samuel already spent six years with the franchise, earning a Pro Bowl nod and a First-Team All-Pro selection along the way. With Pearsall sidelined, the 49ers are turning to a player who has already done this job before.
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