Dre Greenlaw Highlights 49ers' Culture as Reason for Deebo Samuel Return

Familiarity is always a bonus.

Dec 12, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr (1) before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The San Francisco 49ers' veterans couldn't be happier about Deebo Samuel's return.

Samuel returns after one year away with the Washington Commanders, signing a one-year, $7 million contract.

Although his return was rumored throughout the offseason, Samuel arrives in the middle of training camp as the immediate replacement for Ricky Pearsall, who will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a PCL injury.

Dre Greenlaw cities the 49ers' culture as a key selling point for Deebo Samuel

It's a roster move that brings one of the defining receivers of the Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era back to San Francisco.

Samuel reportedly had an offer elsewhere but chose to return to the 49ers once he found out they were interested in bringing him back.

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw also rejoined the franchise after a one-year stint with the Denver Broncos, putting him in a unique position to explain what may have drawn Samuel back to San Francisco.

"He knows it ain't no place like San Fran," Greenlaw said to reporters after Saturday's practice.

"Just for myself, just the coaches, the people in the building, the players, the leadership that we got on this team, just that warm feeling that you get that it's just it's time for battle, and that's the only thing that matters. And this place is just about football. If you're a football player, you love that.

"And just to have the right group of guys around you, that want the same thing and that got that same motivation, it's just an unbelievable feeling, unbelievable place, and I know that's what he wants, too. I know Deebo's a football player as well, and sometimes you got to go and see what's out there, but once you go, you realize, 'Hey, ain't nothing like San Fran.'"

Both Greenlaw and Samuel are on one-year prove-it deals, but few players understand every aspect of Kyle Shanahan's organization better than they do. Their familiarity with the culture, coaching staff, and locker room made a return to San Francisco an appealing opportunity for both veterans.

With Greenlaw and Samuel reunited alongside the core of Fred Warner, George Kittle, and several other veterans, the 49ers are hoping to recapture the chemistry that took them to multiple NFC Championship Game appearances and two Super Bowl berths between 2019 and 2023.

Whether this roster can be just as explosive will ultimately depend on its ability to stay healthy. That will define their season.

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