Two Returning 49ers Faced Skepticism — They’ve Silenced the Doubters

Fair play.

Oct 4, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (19) runs after the catch against the Denver Broncos during the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has been criticized for sticking with players longer than he should, but two returning 49ers players have done nothing but justify his faith in them.

This offseason, the 49ers made some swift moves in free agency, including the addition of future Hall of Famer Mike Evans.

They also brought back linebacker Dre Greenlaw after one season with the Denver Broncos, before reuniting with Deebo Samuel following Ricky Pearsall’s season-ending surgery.

These two players are 29 and 30, respectively, and, at least on paper, appeared to be well past their best. That’s certainly what I thought heading into this season - and there was good reason for it.

Oct 4, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw (57) jogs on the field before the game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Greenlaw played just eight games in Denver and hadn’t looked like the same player since suffering an Achilles injury in the Super Bowl. Samuel, meanwhile, had quit on the team toward the end of his time in San Francisco and showed signs of regression before departing for the Washington Commanders.

Yet both have returned on one-year prove-it deals and exceeded the expectations of many, myself included. The moves were initially viewed as Shanahan simply being too loyal to two players who appeared to be well past their best. But through the first four games of the season, neither has been incredible, but both have played well enough to prove plenty of people wrong.

Greenlaw has recorded 34 total tackles and 16 solo tackles, with the latter already surpassing his total from Denver last season in half as many games. He recorded a game-high 12 tackles against his former team, and the obvious motivation to prove his worth to his former employer only added fuel to the fire. He has also forced one fumble, so it's a good start to the season.

As for Samuel, he’s been all business so far. From 14 targets, he has 185 receiving yards, while he’s added 74 rushing yards on seven carries, averaging 10.6 yards per carry. Considering the workload he shares with the rest of the 49ers’ offensive weapons, those numbers are pretty good. He’s also scored three touchdowns, not to mention the 80-yard trick touchdown at the start of the game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Both players left, came back, and seemingly realized that the Kyle Shanahan system is one of the best in the league for a reason. Now, they’re both laser-focused on the same goal: bringing another Super Bowl to the City by the Bay.