Deebo Samuel returns to 49ers on one-year deal
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel has re-signed with the San Francisco 49ers on a one-year contract reportedly worth up to $7 million, as the team evaluates the status of rookie Ricky Pearsall.
San Francisco has reached a one-year agreement with former wide receiver Deebo Samuel, allowing him to return to the 49ers for the 2026 season. NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport first reported the deal, which could be worth as much as $7 million, and Samuel confirmed the signing on Instagram.
The move follows the 49ers' recent report that first-round pick Ricky Pearsall is dealing with knee swelling from a previous PCL injury and may miss the entire season. Samuel, who spent the 2025 season with Washington after being traded for a fifth-round pick, recorded six touchdowns and 727 receiving yards in 72 catches last year.
A second-round selection in 2019, Samuel contributed to two Super Bowl appearances and four NFC championship games during his initial stint with the 49ers, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2021 after posting 1,770 total yards and 12 touchdowns. After a less productive 2024 campaign, the team expects Samuel to fill the void left by Pearsall and join a receiver group that includes free-agent acquisitions Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, and younger players Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins.
"I'm back with the Niners," Samuel wrote on his Instagram post, indicating he will likely resume wearing his original jersey number 19.