In a frustrating year for San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel has prompted criticism from one of the Niners’ best-ever players.
San Francisco is 5-5 and that is partially due to a disjointed season from the offense. Injuries to players like RB Christian McCaffrey have played a factor, while Deebo is having a less-than-explosive campaign
On November 21, NFL Hall of Famer and former 49ers WR Terrell Owens criticized Samuel’s season on 95.7 The Game.
“Deebo is not really playing up to Deebo’s standards,” Owens said. “It seems like he’s more focused on his pregame attire than the game. If we can shift that focus, maybe that can energize and create some more production from an offensive standpoint. I’m just being tongue-in-cheek with that.”
On the same day, Samuel responded through a post on X. While he kept it short, the message from the San Francisco receiver is clear.
“T.O cut it fam!!!!” Samuel wrote.
Samuel deserves some criticism for his play, but it’s somewhat ironic that a legendarily flashy player like Owens is calling out Deebo’s pregame attire. Either way, 49ers fans will be hoping that T.O.’s comments get Samuel fired up.
Are Deebo’s Numbers Actually Off?
Considering he’s coming off a quiet performance in the 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, it may feel like Samuel is having an off year. In reality, his rate of production isn’t far off from his 2023 season.
Without counting the Kansas City Chiefs contest that saw Deebo put on pads but not play due to illness, Samuel has 33 catches for 490 yards in 8 games. He only has one receiving touchdown, but also scored once as a rusher and has totaled 79 rushing yards.
He’s averaging 61 receiving yards per game and 14.8 yards per catch. In 2023, the 28-year-old WR averaged 59.5 yards per game and 14.9 yards per game. While Samuel has not as big of a factor as a rusher, his primary job of catching passes hasn’t wavered.
Samuel’s somewhat quiet season feels representative of the 49ers’ general offensive issues. And with QB Brock Purdy missing the upcoming clash with the Green Bay Packers, it’s unlikely that will change anytime soon.
49ers Could Add More Touches Deebo’s Role
On November 19, SI.com writer Grant Cohn wrote an article detailing how McCaffrey’s return has hurt the 49ers offense. He called for head coach Kyle Shanahan to utilize RBs Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo more.
“Adding McCaffrey to Mason and Guerendo only should make the 49ers offense better,” Cohn wrote. “But instead of using all three running backs, the 49ers have used mainly McCaffrey, who’s clearly not 100 percent himself yet… But for the time being, McCaffrey is hurting the running game. The 49ers need to redistribute some of his carries to Mason and Guerendo to balance out the offense.”
Cohn is obviously not calling for Deebo, but that could be something the Niners consider. Samuel has struggled to make a big impact, averaging 2.9 yards per carry, but Shanahan may need to find a solution through the WR.
San Francisco has no shortage of effective rushers, but determining who gets the ball when is the problem.
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