In 2020, when George Kittle was 26, the San Francisco 49ers gave their All-Pro tight end a five-year contract extension.
In 2021, when Fred Warner was 24, the 49ers gave their All-Pro linebacker a five-year extension.
In 2022, when Deebo Samuel was 26, the 49ers gave their All-Pro wide receiver a three-year extension.
Samuel's deal was shorter because the 49ers thought the part-time running back with a violent style and fluctuating weight wouldn't age well. They were right. And that's why they're wrong if they think a reunion with Samuel next month is a good idea.
A year after the 49ers dealt Samuel to the Commanders not long after he requested a trade, Kittle has fueled speculation the 49ers want to bring back the only wide receiver in league history with at least 20 career touchdowns receiving and 20 touchdowns rushing.
Earlier this month, during Super Bowl week, Kittle said the 49ers could be adding some "past friends" to the roster this offseason. When pressed, Kittle responded by saying he'd had "fun" hanging out with Samuel the previous night. Does he want Samuel back with the 49ers?
"I love Deebo," Kittle said to Sports Illustrated Now. "Are you kidding me? … I love Deebo. That's all. I love Deebo."
It's possible Kittle is messing with the media and the exchange isn't foreshadowing Samuel's return to Santa Clara in 2026. The fan base should hope so: The 49ers will likely be in the wide receiver market when free agency's legal tampering period begins March 9, but Samuel, 30, shouldn't be on the shopping list of a team that needs to get younger and faster.
Last season, Samuel had 72 catches (99 targets) for 727 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games, which aren't necessarily buyer-beware numbers. Samuel caught 72.7% of his targets, his highest figure since 2020, had the second-most receptions of his seven-season career and his yardage total was his second-highest since his breakout 2021 season.
In 2021, Samuel, who dubbed himself a "wide back," was a big-play machine thanks to his rare combination of acceleration and force: He led the NFL in yards per catch (18.2), averaged 6.2 on his carries, ranked third in yards from scrimmage (1,770), led wideouts in broken tackles after receptions (13) and was second in the league in yards after catch (768). His eight rushing touchdowns were an NFL record for a wideout and his six rushing scores of 10-plus yards were more than 23 NFL teams.
Running back Christian McCaffrey said earlier this month that Samuel would unquestionably be welcomed back to the 49ers while highlighting his menacing traits.
"When the ball is in his hands, you can see a lot of times the fear in defenses," McCaffrey said on the "Up and Adams" podcast. "… He's an enforcer on offense. He'll run through your face."
But that was then. Now? Samuel, who has never been known for his route-running ability, lacks the qualities that set him apart. In 2025, he had career-lows in yards per catch (10.1) and yards after catch per reception (6.5). Most telling: He had six broken tackles on his 72 catches, averaging one broken tackle per 12 receptions, after averaging a broken tackle every 5.7 catches in his first six seasons.
It's part of a steep decline that began in his last season with the 49ers. Samuel led NFL receivers with 38 broken tackles after catches from 2021 through 2023, and his yards per rushing attempt (6.3) in his first five seasons (2019-23) was the highest among players with 150-plus rushes over that span.
In the past two seasons, he's had 17 broken tackles on his 182 touches, five fewer than he had on his 136 touches in 2021, and he's averaged 3.6 yards on his 59 carries.
A descending 30-year-old pass catcher shouldn't be what the 49ers are seeking. In 2025, they had three Pro Bowl skill-positions players - Kittle, McCaffrey and fullback Kyle Juszczyk - who will have an average age of 32.3 by the 2026 regular-season opener. Their aging headliners, along with the season-long absence of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, partly explain their lack of explosiveness. Last year, linebacker Dee Winters recorded their fastest speed by a ballcarrier, hitting 20.15 mph on an interception.
With possession receiver Jauan Jennings, 28, possibly poised to leave in free agency, and Aiyuk's tenure about to end, the 49ers need to address their wide receiver group.
Per spotrac.com, Samuel is projected to receive a free-agent contract averaging at least $15 million annually, which is pricey given his trajectory. They 49ers could spend more on a younger, faster wideout in free agency - the Colts' Alec Pierce, 25, and Giants' Wan'Dale Robinson, 25, are top options - add to the position in the draft and see if two recent draft picks with wheels can assume roles after injury filled starts to their careers.
The most intriguing option is Jordan Watkins, a 2025 fourth-round pick who has run a 4.37-second 40-yard dash. The 49ers also have Jacob Cowing, a 2024 fourth-rounder (4.38 seconds).
It's possible adding Samuel isn't on the 49ers' radar despite Kittle's comments. After all, less than a week before general manager John Lynch traded Samuel last year, he said the relationship had run its course.
"Everything's good, but I think at some point, time happens," Lynch said. "He asked for that (trade). We don't always (grant trade requests) - there's contracts and things - but it probably makes sense."
And it's now logical to stay apart considering more time has passed for a player the 49ers correctly projected wouldn't age gracefully. It should be an easy call for the 49ers when it comes to Samuel: pass.
This article originally published at Should 49ers and Deebo Samuel run it back? Analyzing potential reunion with the ‘wide back'.