Why 49ers QB Brock Purdy Thinks Deebo Samuel Can Be a Difference-Maker

Brock Purdy loves working with Deebo Samuel.

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (left) hands off to wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (right) during the second quarter against the New York Jets at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Bringing back Deebo Samuel is a roster move that brings a sense of nostalgia to the San Francisco 49ers.

Samuel came back in the middle of training camp to a very team-friendly one-year $7 million deal. He spent one year away with the Washington Commanders, so his near-immediate return isn't that surprising.

But will Samuel operate as he did during his prime years in San Francisco in 2026? His last (and only) truly incredible season was in 2021. However, quarterback Brock Purdy seems to think Samuel hasn’t shown any signs of regression.

“Yeah, it’s been huge. Obviously, what Deebo can do is awesome. He can run routes on the outside, in the slot, come back in the backfield run routes, can run the ball from the backfield," Purdy told reporters in preseason.

"So, having him being able to help out with the run game right now, just with our numbers and stuff at running back has been huge. It’s good for him too, to be able to come back into the system and get those reps and have him being able to read out a run and bounce back gaps and make cuts.

"So, that’s been good for him, but also it’s been fun, like I said, having him back there to be able to run routes and have really good matchups and he’s still explosive and still the same Deebo that we know.

"He made multiple plays even, where if you get him the ball, man, he’s going to break tackles. If we’re live, I was like, ‘hey, that’s a broken tackle, that’s a touchdown,’ or whatever. He’s a playmaker, so glad to have our guy back.”

Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (19) walks onto the field in the third quarter during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Samuel's return clearly holds value to those in the locker room, but whether it translates to the field remains a different question entirely.

The 49ers now officially have the oldest average-aged roster in the league after Samuel's arrival. Everyone knows he's making the 53-man roster cut, but sooner or later, it has to be said that Samuel, at 30, could end up disappointing a lot of people's expectations.

San Francisco is increasingly thinking short-term with their roster decisions, relying heavily on veterans and older players who will inevitably start regressing at some point.

The fact that all of Purdy's primary weapons are over 30 this season says a lot.

But it's best to compare the Samuel of 2026 to the Samuel of 2022 or 2023, rather than the anomaly that was his 2021 season, when he had an insane year.