49ers training camp: Deebo returns, Shanahan addresses team, Stribling misses practice

The San Francisco 49ers held their fifth full training camp practice on Saturday as they continued preparations for the 2026 NFL season.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan continues to make progress in his recovery from the concussion he suffered in a July 14 car accident. For the first time during training camp, he addressed the entire team during this morning's meeting.

The San Francisco 49ers officially announced the signing of wide receiver Deebo Samuel to a one-year contract, confirming a move that was first reported on Thursday. Samuel rejoined his teammates on the practice field for the first time on Saturday, wearing No. 19.

To make room on the roster, the 49ers placed wide receiver Ricky Pearsall on injured reserve. He will undergo surgery to repair the knee ligament damage related to the PCL injury he sustained last season. Pearsall's recovery is expected to take between six and 12 months, giving him a chance to be ready for the start of 2027 training camp.

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Below are some of the key takeaways from the 10:10 a.m. PT practice at the SAP Performance Facility, compiled from multiple media reports.

Noteworthy non-participants

These are the players who did not practice and are not on an injury list.

• DT Gracen Halton (knee bone bruise)
• DE Romello Height (elbow)
• RB Jordan James (rib fracture)
• WR Christian Kirk (calf strain)
• OT Vederian Lowe (high-ankle sprain)
• S Malik Mustapha (hamstring strain)
• DE Cameron Sample (knee)
• WR De'Zhaun Stribling (hamstring)
• DT C.J. West (unknown)

Note: The 49ers are taking a cautious approach with Stribling, who is dealing with some hamstring tightness. The team made it clear that he is not dealing with a hamstring strain.

Injury updates

Defensive end Mikail Kamara was carted off the field during practice. The 49ers announced he suffered a knee injury.

Defensive end Keion White sustained an adductor injury during one-on-one drills and had to leave practice.

It's unclear whether running back Kaelon Black suffered a setback. He did not participate in the latter portion of team drills.

Unavailable players

Physically unable to perform (PUP)

• RB Isaac Guerendo (pectoral)
• TE George Kittle (Achilles)
• DE Mykel Williams (ACL)

Injured reserve (IR)

• DL William Bradley-King
• DL Andrew Farmer (back)
• S Darrick Forrest
• WR Ricky Pearsall (PCL)

Reserve/left squad

• WR Brandon Aiyuk

Offensive notes

Newly signed wide receiver Deebo Samuel wasted no time making an impact during team drills, flashing the playmaking ability that made him one of the NFL's most versatile offensive weapons. Samuel made several notable plays, including a sideline reception, a screen pass, and multiple gains that showcased his yards-after-the-catch ability. With Pearsall out for the season and impressive rookie Stribling sidelined for the day, Samuel saw plenty of opportunities. He also hauled in a pass over the middle from quarterback Brock Purdy for a solid gain.

General manager John Lynch also revealed that Samuel is committed to returning kicks on special teams.

"He's been one of those guys that's been a highly competitive guy in the National Football League that you've got to deal with," defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said on Saturday. "No matter what the circumstance of the game is, what the situation is of the game, you've got to be aware.

"He's the ultimate piece that can move around, and you have to game plan around him because of his ability to run the football, his ability to line up at receiver, his ability to take screens, his ability to do a bunch of different things on special teams, whether it be return man or whatever the case may be."

Despite Samuel's encouraging debut, Saturday may have been the offense's roughest practice of training camp. The quarterbacks struggled with accuracy, and dropped passes plagued receivers. Purdy missed on several deep throws, including overthrows intended for running back Christian McCaffrey and fullback Kyle Juszczyk.

The performance came one day after wide receiver Mike Evans praised his quarterback, saying, "Brock is super accurate. He's a super accurate quarterback, so he hasn't overthrown me yet."

"It wasn't just Purdy who had a rough day," Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area wrote. "Mac Jones had trouble with an exchange while Brett Toth was at center, with the ball ending up on the grass. Both playcallers threw multiple incomplete passes throughout the on-field session."

According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Purdy finished 8-of-16 during team drills.

There were still a few bright spots offensively.

McCaffrey displayed his elite change-of-direction ability on one play, initially breaking left before quickly cutting back to the right. The sudden move fooled the defense and allowed him to race untouched downfield.

Purdy also connected with tight end Luke Farrell on multiple explosive plays, including a touchdown that sparked celebrations from the offensive sideline. That could be key if the backup tight ends need to step up in case George Kittle isn't ready for Week 1.

Brad Graham of TheSFNiners commented that offensive lineman Connor Colby, competing for the starting left guard job, looked like one of the best players on the field.

"After being critical of him yesterday, he came out and balled — great in blitz pick up, passing off stunts, in pass protection and the run game," Graham wrote. "Had one rep vs [DT] Osa [Odighizuwa] where he completely stopped him in his tracks."

Guard Dominick Puni, who is looking to bounce back after an uneven 2025 season, has also looked solid throughout camp. During one-on-one pass-rush drills, he held his own against defensive tackles Osa Odighizuwa and Sebastian Valdez. However, Odighizuwa later beat Puni for what would have been a sack during team drills.

Undrafted rookie wide receiver Wesley Grimes had a couple of nice catches during one-on-one drills, including a deep reception against cornerback Darrell Luter Jr.

Defensive notes

The 49ers are getting dangerously low on edge rushers with Nick Bosa still limited to individual drills as part of the team's plan for his return from an ACL injury. San Francisco's defense was also without Cameron Sample, Keion White, and rookie Romello Height on Saturday. Additionally, Mikail Kamara left practice with an apparent leg injury, while Mykel Williams remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he recovers from last season's ACL injury.

Even so, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris isn't overly concerned, noting that many of the missing players are expected to return.

"You've got Bosa out there. You've got Romello Height," Morris said. "Mykel Williams is coming back off an injury. You know they're gonna all come back at some point. You've got Keion White out there. You've got a bunch of different guys that can give you such a presence.

"And then, you've got different people that can provide different types of rushing mechanisms. You're talking about Fred [Warner], you're talking about [Dre] Greenlaw, you're talking about even the safety position with a guy like [Ji'Ayir Brown] ... it's hard to stay concerned."

Cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Jack Jones, and Upton Stout each recorded pass breakups. Lenoir and Green, the projected starters on the outside, continue to have a strong camp.

Rookie defensive tackles Bryson Eason and James Thompson Jr. flashed during one-on-one pass-rush drills, consistently creating problems for the 49ers' offensive linemen.

With Malik Mustapha sidelined, Marques Sigle and Ji'Ayir Brown continued to work as the starting safeties during team drills. Sigle added another highlight by breaking up a deep Purdy pass intended for wide receiver Jordan Watkins.

Next practice

The 49ers will hold a walk-through on Sunday, which will be closed to the media.

The next full practice will be on Monday, August 3 at 10:10 a.m. PT. The session will be open to the media, along with season ticket, club, and reserve members.

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