Assessing Whether Deebo Samuel's Return is Realistic for the 49ers

This might just happen.

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George Kittle recently hinted in an interview that a familiar name could be returning to the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. When the conversation quickly turned to Deebo Samuel, Kittle did little to shut it down. That was enough to spark speculation among 49ers fans about whether a reunion is possible, and whether it would make sense for both sides.

Will Deebo Samuel reunite with the San Francisco 49ers?

When the 49ers moved on from Samuel, the belief was likely that they were getting out before his production fell off completely. In 2024, Samuel posted just 670 receiving yards, the second-lowest total of his career outside of an injury-shortened season. His efficiency dipped as well, with 1.6 yards per route run, by far the lowest mark of his career after never dipping below 1.85 previously.

Samuel did not fully bounce back with Washington in 2025, but he did show signs of stabilization. He finished the season with 727 yards and improved his yards per route run to 1.66. Those numbers are nowhere near his peak, but they do suggest that his decline may have been overstated. He was no longer an elite weapon, but he still looked like a solid starting receiver rather than a player at the end of the line.

Context matters here. Samuel was adjusting to a new offense, and both the Commanders’ quarterback and another key wide receiver missed significant time. Defenses were able to focus on him, and the quarterback play was not strong enough to punish that attention. Despite those factors, Samuel was still more productive in 2025 than he was during his final season in San Francisco.

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That opens the door to an interesting possibility. If Samuel’s 2024 season was more of an outlier than a true collapse, returning to Kyle Shanahan’s offense could help him rediscover a higher level of play. Few players have ever been used more creatively or effectively in that system than Samuel.

Financially, the idea becomes even more compelling. Spotrac projects Samuel to sign a two-year, $26.7M deal in free agency. That is notably less than what Jauan Jennings is expected to command, despite Samuel historically being the more impactful receiver when both are healthy. In theory, the 49ers could let Jennings walk, save money, and bring back a better schematic fit.

Of course, $26M is still a meaningful investment, especially for a team that may want to get younger at wide receiver and begin transitioning away from veteran-heavy contracts. That reality could push San Francisco in a different direction.

Still, given the fit, familiarity, and price point, a Deebo Samuel reunion cannot be dismissed. If the 49ers are looking for a splash move that raises their offensive ceiling without breaking the bank, this is one scenario that makes plenty of sense.