Deebo Samuel’s apparent reaction to the 49ers’ signing of Mike Evans may have ended any real possibility of a reunion in San Francisco.
The chatter around Samuel has picked up in recent days, with the former 49ers wide receiver now a free agent and some social media activity suggesting he is not generating much interest. There have also been posts focused on his shape and how good he looks, but the bigger development came from reporting on how he supposedly felt about the 49ers moving quickly to land Evans.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area said this about Samuel: “Here’s what I know about it. I do think Deebo had an interest in returning to the 49ers and was maybe even a little miffed that the 49ers so quickly signed Mike Evans as a free agent… I do think Deebo would have liked the opportunity to be back with the 49ers. The 49ers moved on without him and I think he and Kyle Shanahan spoke about that after the fact.”
If that’s accurate, it paints a strange picture. Samuel would be upset that San Francisco added one of the best veteran receivers in the game, and also bothered that the team didn’t bring him back a year after he asked to be traded.
Samuel’s time in San Francisco already came with plenty of drama. He pushed for a bigger role, wanted the ball more, and then had a very public drop against the Los Angeles Rams while the 49ers were still alive in the playoff hunt. He also spent his final stretch with the team asking for more targets, which only added to the noise around him.
Still, the split itself seemed fairly clean. Samuel requested a trade, the 49ers granted it without much fuss, and he later wrote an emotional farewell to the organization. There was clearly still affection on both sides when he left.
That’s why this latest twist stands out. If Samuel really is irritated that the 49ers signed Evans, it comes off like jealousy after a breakup that had already run its course.
It also suggests Samuel may still see himself as a No. 1 receiver. If he views himself as on Evans’ level, that’s a tough read on where he is now. At this stage, he looks more like a No. 3 wide receiver at best.
The 49ers have already dealt with enough receiver drama this decade between Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. If Samuel wanted to come back in a smaller role, or as a veteran presence to help younger players like De’Zhaun Stribling, that would be one thing. But based on this reporting, he still seems to believe he belongs in a very different category.
Evans, by contrast, brings none of that baggage. He’s described as as professional and humble as they come, and he’s not expected to bring drama into the season. For that reason, the 49ers would be wise to stay away from Samuel if he still doesn’t have a realistic handle on where he stands in his career.
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