Deebo Samuel still is a good player, but he hasn’t lived up to the contract extension he signed with the 49ers two years ago.
When he signed the extension, he was coming off a Pro Bowl season and a first-team All Pro selection. At the time, the 49ers thought Samuel would have many more Pro Bowl seasons, but he hasn’t.
Five seasons into Samuel’s career, he still has been to the Pro Bowl just one time. And now he has taken a backseat to Brandon Aiyuk who has become the unquestioned no. 1 wide receiver on the team. Samuel is a second banana.
That could change this year, though.
The current first banana, Aiyuk, is unhappy with the 49ers. Sure, they’re offering him more than Samuel makes, but even that’s not enough to satisfy Aiyuk. So he’s holding out and it’s unclear when he will return.
Meanwhile, Samuel was the only veteran captain who participated in OTAs and minicamp. He was the leader. He set the example of how to practice for the younger players.
And now Samuel seems to be in the best shape he has been in since 2021 when he was an All Pro. That season, he was motivated because he was eligible for a contract extension at the end of it. And when Samuel is motivated, he’s one of the most unstoppable players in the NFL. Defensive backs simply don’t want to tackle him. They all make business decisions when he has the ball.
The issue with Samuel has been maintaining his drive. He hasn’t been nearly as driven as Aiyuk the past two years. But that seems to have changed.
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