Deebo Samuel’s search for a new team has taken on a very personal feel, and his old 49ers teammates are making sure he knows he’s not forgotten.
After the Washington Commanders decided not to bring him back, Samuel has been left in free agency looking for his next landing spot. He had reportedly wanted a return to San Francisco after one season in Washington, but Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports said the 49ers chose another path and that was made clear to the versatile receiver.
Even so, the support from inside the 49ers’ building has kept coming. Ricky Pearsall was the latest to show it, posting a video on Instagram of Samuel working out. He followed Kyle Juszczyk and George Kittle, who had done the same recently.
Ricky Pearsall posted Deebo Samuel’s training video 🤝
First it was Kyle Juszczyk, then George Kittle, and now Pearsall has taken to IG to show support for Deebo pic.twitter.com/hR5pLpW5Zq
- Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) July 23, 2026
That kind of backing says plenty about how Samuel is viewed by the people who shared a locker room with him. His role on the field eventually faded, and financial pressure pushed San Francisco to trade him to Washington for a fifth-round pick. He still produced well overall with the Commanders, but that hasn’t yet translated into a quick new deal.
Samuel has said this free-agent stretch is not what he expected. He sounds frustrated, and he’s made it clear he still believes there’s a lot of football left in him before retirement.
A reunion with San Francisco would make for a neat story, but the roster picture makes it complicated. The 49ers already added Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency, used the No. 33 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on De'Zhaun Stribling, and still have Pearsall and Demarcus Robinson. Brandon Aiyuk is also listed, though his time with the team is done.
There is room to spend, though. San Francisco has $71.48 million in available cap space, enough to make Samuel a serious offer if it wanted to. For now, though, it appears the team has moved on.
That doesn’t change the fact that Samuel remains too skilled to sit unsigned for long. He may not be operating at the All-Pro level he once reached, but he’s still a reliable target who can be moved around the formation. He also showed leadership during a difficult season in Washington, which said plenty about his professionalism.
The 49ers know exactly what he can offer. His former teammates are still nudging the idea along in their own quiet way. For Samuel, the wait continues until the right opportunity finally shows up.
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For the Commanders, the interesting part is not just the need elsewhere in the NFC, but the fact that they may have more options at the position than they can comfortably keep. No deal is in place, and nothing has moved beyond the exploratory stage, but Washingtons roster now has the kind of surplus that can draw calls when another team suddenly finds itself short on pass rush help. [Read more 🡒]
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For now, it remains just that, talk. There has been no official confirmation tying the purchase to any football plans, and Washington has not made a move at receiver as the front office continues to sort through its options. Still, the timing is enough to keep the speculation alive, especially with Aiyuks status in San Francisco still unsettled and the Commanders need for clarity at the position not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Finally Got Some Good News About Northwest Stadium
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The organization says it has invested $150 million in that effort, with improvements ranging from updated camera systems and screening technology to other security layers designed to help with modern threats. Even as the Commanders continue preparing for a future beyond their current home, this is the kind of news that matters to fans who still have to walk through those gates now and want to know the stadium is keeping pace. [Read more 🡒]