Is 49ers WR Deebo Samuel Underappreciated?

Deebo Samuel's performance in the Super Bowl has somewhat changed the general viewpoint on him.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) runs with the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Deebo Samuel has been one of the most impactful players on the San Francisco 49ers in the last few years.

However, his poor performance in the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs has sort of changed the general viewpoint of him. There seems to be a segment of people or a case to be made that Samuel is an expendable player now.

The 49ers did leave him out to dry in trade talks during the NFL draft, so it only fueled that narrative. Drafting Ricky Pearsall did the same thing as well since he has a similar skillset to Samuel, but is a way better route runner.

All of this thought of replacing Samuel, moving him, and criticisms of him has me thinking -- is Samuel underappreciated?

I think he is and that it really all stems from his Super Bowl performance. Look, Samuel isn't some elite wide receiver who is going to be a fairly skilled cornerback one-on-one. If anything, the way he was used in the Super Bowl and targeted so much was Kyle Shanahan's fault.

That is not the way Samuel is going to be effective. He is not a true wide receiver. Rather, he's a true offensive weapon. What he does to impact the 49ers offense with his presence alone does wonders. The three games he missed in 2023 were coincidentally losses for the 49ers.

His absence certainly played a part in them. Yes, Trent Williams was also out, but Jaylon Moore wasn't too shabby filling in. Samuel missing makes the offense a lesser product because Shanahan loses his "Queen" chess piece. He can place and use Samuel all over the formation and it influences defenses.

For a player to be productive both with and without the football is everything, especially for the 49ers' offense. Samuel is not some scrub. He has been a really good player for a few years now. And while he isn't going to be the same caliber of player he was in 2021, he is still a crucial player in the offense.