Deebo Samuel stepped onto the practice field Saturday for the first time since re-signing with the San Francisco 49ers. The dynamic wide receiver was heavily involved during the session, catching passes, carrying the ball, and making plays after the catch.
It was an encouraging sight for 49ers fans hoping Samuel can return to his previous form during his second stint with the team.
Samuel spoke with reporters after practice, discussing his return to the 49ers, the organization that selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, after he requested a trade last offseason that led to a one-year stint with the Washington Commanders.
While Samuel did not want to compare the two organizations, he acknowledged that returning to a familiar environment made the transition much easier.
"It kind of felt like I didn't even go nowhere, to be honest," Samuel said. "When I got back, I was just like, 'Well, I know what's going on, I know the people here. The staff's still the same.' So it's kind of like the same, for real."
Samuel was present with the team on Friday but needed to pass his physical before returning to practice. His early arrival gave him an opportunity to reconnect with former teammates.
"They were happy, I was happy, and we're just ready to get the ball rolling," Samuel said.
As for his role in the 49ers' offense in 2026 and whether it will resemble what he did during his first stint with the team, Samuel said that remains to be determined.
"I have no idea. We're just going to roll with the punches," he said.
For fans wondering what Samuel's return, along with the reunion with offensive tackle Trent Williams, means for the 49ers' iconic boombox entrance, the receiver made it clear the tradition will undoubtedly continue.
"They used it when I was gone, so, I mean, hey, we still got to rock out," Samuel said.
Deebo Samuel's conversations with Mike Evans
The 49ers' wide receiver room underwent significant changes this offseason, highlighted by the addition of All-Pro wide receiver Mike Evans, who is expected to play a major role in the team's passing attack.
Samuel and Evans already had some familiarity before becoming teammates, as the two met at the Pro Bowl following the 2021 season. However, the conversations on Saturday didn't focus on what to expect on the football field this season.
"He's been doing it for a long time," Samuel said. "But the conversations we was having out there was just regular conversations—really not about ball. Just getting ready for practice."
Deebo Samuel reacts to Ricky Pearsall's injury
Samuel ultimately filled the roster spot left open by wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday. Pearsall will undergo surgery to repair his lingering PCL injury, ending his chances of playing during the 2026 season.
The injury is a significant setback for the former first-round pick, who entered the season hoping to build on his potential after missing 14 games during his first two NFL seasons.
Samuel said he has remained in contact with Pearsall during his time away from the 49ers, and offered encouragement after learning the severity of the injury.
"We still stayed in communication, and I kind of talked to him the night—whenever he got the news—and he was a little frustrated," Samuel shared. "I was like, 'Bro, just keep your head up. Your time's coming.' He just kind of had bad luck right now. It's really nothing that he can do about it.
"But overall, he's shown what he's capable of when he's healthy, and wish him well in surgery and a quick recovery, for sure."
No bad blood between Deebo Samuel and the 49ers
Samuel has requested a trade from the 49ers twice—first before signing his contract extension ahead of the 2022 season, and again last year, which ultimately sent him to the Commanders. Despite those moves, he said he has remained close with the team's leadership, and there is no lingering bad blood between the two sides.
"Contract negotiations is contract negotiations, and then those are conversations for John, Kyle, and my agent to have," Samuel said. "But our relationship has never changed or had a fallout. So, that was just like contract negotiations that I'm not in control of."
With Evans, Samuel, and a developing group of young receivers, San Francisco hopes to maintain one of the league's most explosive passing offenses in 2026.
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