The upcoming season for the San Francisco 49ers will definitely not be like the previous ones. Deebo Samuel has been one of the key figures despite some injuries, and his potential departure will be felt. George Kittle, who has shared the roster with the WR since 2019, left a strong message regarding the situation.
Kittle and Samuel have been teammates for several years, playing key roles in the Bay Area team’s offense. In a recent appearance on USA Today’s Sports Seriously, the TE was outspoken on Samuel’s potential departure: “You can’t really replace Deebo.”
“I think he’s one of the most unique players in the NFL because of what he can do. Well, one, he’s the greatest, best YAC guy besides myself — I’ll hype myself up, I’m pretty good at that, too. But he’s so good when he gets the ball in his hands. The fact that you can line him up in the slot, out wide, in the backfield and do all the fun stuff with him and he breaks tackles, he runs like a running back and he has the burst, he has the speed, he has the agility to get away from guys too, he’s just such a unique player.
“I don’t think you can really replace him. We’re just going to have to build our offense a little bit differently because we don’t have that available to us. But Deebo’s a hell of a football player. I’ve loved being his teammate, I’ve loved sharing the field with him, I’ve loved going to war with him. If that is what happens and he gets traded, I’ll be very sad. But at the same time, I’m always happy for guys to get opportunities and that’s all you can ask for in the NFL.“
Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with George Kittle #85 after rushing for a ten-yard touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second quarter of the game at Levi’s Stadium on December 19, 2021 in Santa Clara, California.
Although his future remains uncertain, it is highly unlikely that Deebo Samuel will be seen wearing the San Francisco 49ers jersey in the short term.
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George Kittle’s current situation
The 49ers find themselves in a delicate situation regarding two of their key players: Brock Purdy and George Kittle. Both players are looking to renew their contracts with the franchise, although their situations couldn’t be more different.
On one hand, the quarterback is looking to extend his relationship with the Bay Area, which could potentially make him one of the highest-paid players in the league.
On the other side, the tight end is approaching the last year of his contract, with his current salary cap hit exceeding $22 million. Once the 49ers extend his contract, his cap hit for 2025 will drop significantly, freeing up considerable cap space. This will give the 49ers the flexibility to either re-sign key players or bring in new talent.
York aims to keep Purdy for the long term
Brock Purdy’s situation with the 49ers is still unresolved, although all signs from both sides suggest that the talented quarterback will renew his contract, with the goal of reaching the Super Bowl once again.
According to reports from Josh Dubow of the Associated Press, owner Jed York intends to keep the player with the franchise for many more years: “I know we want Brock to be here for a long time and we’ll do everything we can to make that work.”
