Deebo Samuel brings a ‘little more’ speed, power, leadership to 49ers this season
Samuel’s fifth season with the 49ers is shaping up as a bounce-back year if he maintains a hot connection to Brock Purdy
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — This August, watching Brock Purdy fire passes at Deebo Samuel looks so natural and encouraging for the 49ers’ offense.
They connected twice to begin Saturday’s preseason win over the Broncos, and they completed seven passes in Monday’s practice.
It’s not like the Purdy-to-Samuel link was invisible last season, when Purdy ripped off eight wins before suffering an injury in the NFC Championship Game. In a win over Seattle in the first round of the playoffs, Samuel had six catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Consider Purdy’s first start, when he outlasted Tom Brady to defeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Samuel was carted off the field with knee and ankle injuries that would keep him out for three weeks.
Samuel’s offseason body makeover has him ready for more targets, thanks to “a little more to my step, and a little more to my speed, so it’s a little more power.”
Purdy wasn’t exactly on Samuel’s radar a year ago, at least not until the preseason finale against the Houston Texans, when he completed 13-of-20 passes for 182 yards and an interception.
“I go back to that preseason game where he made a couple of plays and you can see he wasn’t scared of the big moment,” Samuel said. “When he got his chance (in the regular season), he wasn’t afraid.” It was surprising to see how well he played with no practice with the ones and twos, but to remain calm and get the job done.”
Purdy’s first three passes on Saturday were all to Samuel, who caught them for 25 and 14 yards. Following Purdy’s interception of a screen pass by Drake Jackson on Monday, Samuel was targeted for the next two passes, both of which he caught. Consider that a reflection not only of their developing chemistry, but also of Samuel’s offseason turnaround following a “awful” 2022 season.
Purdy stated following the game that Samuel has had a different mindset throughout camp, adding, “You saw a little glimpse of how he is going to do his job: When he gets the ball, he’s going to be Deebo, but even when he doesn’t, he’ll still be where he needs to be, and he’ll be there for the team and sort of set the standard.”
Samuel will not pretend to be the 49ers’ vocal captain, no matter how much coach Kyle Shanahan tries to persuade him. Samuel leads best with his ability to run over any defender.
“Deebo is always a guy who people look up to.” “I mean, everything from how he plays to how he carries himself,” Shanahan explained on Sunday. “A lot of guys look up to Deebo, but he’s been fantastic this year.”
“Everyone knows how he’s come back and been ready to go, how he’s practiced, and I think the way he’s treated all those guys has definitely taken a step forward in that way.”
Samuel is in his fifth season, and he’s mentoring rookie receiver Ronnie Bell, a seventh-round draft pick who must learn the intricate offense while also moonlighting as a return specialist.
“It’s definitely like a big brother relationship, and I appreciate him more than anything,” Bell said about Samuel. “Throughout this process, he’s taken me under his wing and really been there for me in any situation where I’m struggling, like at the start of camp and not getting reps.” He’s always been there to tell me to keep going and that I’ll be fine.”
Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk harped on Bell’s run blocking at first, and the rookie is now catching up, just as Samuel did in 2019. “I reflected back to when I was a rookie and how hard you have to practice to get ready for games,” Samuel said.
