Deebo Samuel reportedly reunites with Niners on 1-year deal worth up to $7 million
· Yahoo Sports
Deebo Samuel is headed back to the San Francisco 49ers.
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After a single season with the Washington Commanders, the former All-Pro wide receiver is signing a one-year deal with the Niners worth up to $7 million, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The deal comes amid considerable uncertainty in the Niners’ wide receiver room. Wednesday saw the news that former first-round pick Ricky Pearsall is dealing with a significant knee issue, while free agent acquisition Christian Kirk has been out recently with a calf injury. And it can be assumed that Brandon Aiyuk has played his last game for the team, given his ongoing social media campaign for the team to release him so he can sign with the Commanders.
San Francisco brought aboard Mike Evans and Kirk earlier this offseason, and now they’re bringing back a player who was previously a devastating weapon in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Samuel played six seasons for the Niners, establishing himself as one of football’s most versatile weapons in the receiving and running games. He peaked in 2021, when he posted 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns to earn first-team All-Pro honors. However, he never quite matched that success in subsequent years, understandable given the acquisition of Christian McCaffrey and the breakout of Aiyuk.
The Niners gave him permission to seek a trade last year and he ended up on the Commanders. He led Washington with 72 catches, 727 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns last season, which didn’t prevent the team from finishing a disappointing 5-12 after notching two playoff wins the previous season.
Samuel hit free agency and opted for the offense he already knows, where plenty of targets could be available if Pearsall and Kirk miss time.