What Deebo Samuel Sr.’s Return Means for the 49ers

The 49ers have made an early roster addition less than a week into training camp.

According to multiple reports, the club is reuniting with wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. on a one-year contract worth up to $7 million.

Samuel spent his first six NFL seasons in San Francisco after being selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft, and earned both a first-team All-Pro nod and a Pro Bowl selection in ’21 after racking up 1,770 total yards and 14 total touchdowns. He was then traded to the Commanders in 2025, but played just one season with the club—a lowly 5–12 campaign that saw reigning Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels play in just seven games.

RELATED: Albert Breer Empties His 49ers Notebook From Training Camp Stop in Santa Clara

With plenty of question marks in their wide receiver room, the 49ers are now bringing the former South Carolina Gamecock back for another go. Here’s what the move means not only for third-year pro Ricky Pearsall’s injury prognosis, but San Francisco’s offense as a whole.

Why Samuel’s signing could be bad news for Ricky Pearsall

The 49ers’ wide receiver room is in a tough spot, to say the least. Though they did sign veteran Mike Evans to a three-year, $42 million contract this offseason, they’re also amid the ongoing Brandon Aiyuk saga, let Jauan Jennings sign with the Vikings and saw Christian Kirk go down with a calf strain on their first day of training camp.

Oh yeah, and now Pearsall is dealing with a knee injury.

As noted by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer in his notebook from 49ers camp on Wednesday, Pearsall is dealing with a setback from the PCL injury he suffered last season—and according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, it doesn’t look good.

“He experienced swelling in that knee, and now it’s kind of back to the drawing board,” Maiocco said during a radio hit on Thursday. “If surgery is required, he’s going to miss the season. He’s going to miss the entire season. … At this point, I think it’s reasonable, rational, logical for the 49ers to not expect Ricky Pearsall to make any contribution in 2026.”

Not good. Not good at all.

Luckily, San Francisco did select De’Zhaun Stribling in the first round of the 2026 draft, and the former Ole Miss wide receiver has made an impact throughout the first several days of camp.

What can Samuel bring to 49ers offense?

Deebo Samuel signed a one-year deal with the 49ers on Thursday night. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

While Samuel has undoubtedly lost a step since his breakout 2021 season, he can still put up numbers in the NFL—as evidenced by his 72 receptions for 727 yards and five touchdowns in a volatile Washington offense last year.

Now, he’ll return to familiar surroundings in 2026 with Kyle Shanahan calling plays, Brock Purdy throwing him the football and Christian McCaffrey lined up in the backfield. Samuel will likely return to the Z-receiver role in the 49ers’ offense alongside Evans, allowing them to move him around the formation and maximize what’s left of the unique skillset that made him one of the league’s most feared weapons a half-decade ago. Is his game-breaking speed what it used to be? Probably not. But Samuel is still a physical runner and forces defenses to think twice when he has the ball in his hands.

In the end, the biggest thing he’ll bring with him to San Francisco is familiarity. Samuel knows Shanahan’s system like the back of his hand, and with tight end George Kittle also dealing with an injury, will give Brock Purdy a weapon he’s comfortable with ahead of what is supposed to be be a bounce-back year for the 49ers.

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