Training camps are opening around the league, and one of the more accomplished wide receivers on the market still doesn’t have a team. Deebo Samuel remains an unrestricted free agent, and as rosters fill out before padded practices begin, the 30-year-old is waiting for a team to make the call.
Samuel spent six seasons in San Francisco before the 49ers traded him to Washington last offseason. He posted solid if unspectacular numbers in his one year with the Commanders — 72 catches, 727 yards and five touchdowns on 99 targets, plus 17 carries for 75 yards and a rushing score across 16 games, according to NFLTradeRumors.co. Washington chose not to bring him back, and he’s been testing the open market ever since his contract voided in March, per NBC Sports.
Samuel Addresses the Free Agency Wait
Samuel isn’t hiding his frustration with how the process has dragged on. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, he talked about the mental grind of checking his phone every morning for word from his agent.
“Going on Year 8 … I still feel like I got a lot, at least like three, four good years left. It’s kind of been tough, not even going to lie to you,” Samuel said.
He described the process as a roller coaster — waking up wondering if a team had called, then waiting again. But he was clear that once an opportunity shows up, he intends to be ready for it, saying he’s “overly prepared” and eager for the right situation.
Former Teammates Are Pulling for a 49ers Reunion
The loudest chatter around Samuel this week didn’t come from a front office — it came from Instagram. Samuel posted a series of workout photos captioned “Let The Chips Fall Where They May,” and two of his old San Francisco teammates jumped into the comments. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk offered him a guest house. Tight end George Kittle followed, joking that he had one too, labeled “Deebo’s second home,” according to NBC Sports Bay Area.
It read like a joke between old friends. It also read like two players who’d genuinely welcome him back.
A reunion isn’t straightforward, though. San Francisco reshaped its receiver room this offseason, signing Mike Evans and Christian Kirk and drafting De’Zhaun Stribling in the second round, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s reporting. The practical case is that Kittle is still working back from an Achilles injury that could limit his workload, and Samuel’s after-the-catch skill set is exactly the kind of production the offense would miss if Kittle’s snaps need managing. 49ers insider Grant Cohn floated a specific scenario for how it could play out.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the 49ers sign Deebo Samuel between Weeks 1 and 2 if he’s still available. That’s when they signed Kendrick Bourne last year,” Cohn said, according to Sportskeeda’s report on his comments. It’s speculation, not confirmation — nothing about a 49ers deal is imminent or agreed upon.
Other Teams Are Circling Too
San Francisco isn’t the only team getting mentioned. Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport called Samuel a fit for the Patriots as a replacement for the since-released Stefon Diggs, according to Musket Fire‘s coverage of that piece. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton separately pitched Samuel to the Kansas City Chiefs as depth insurance behind Rashee Rice, per Heavy.com. And Yahoo Sports has made the case that the Los Angeles Chargers should be in on him before camp opens, noting he remains one of the most talented free agents still available.
None of that amounts to a real offer. It’s the usual pre-camp guessing game, and Samuel’s market has been slower to develop than his production would suggest.
What Samuel Still Brings to an Offense
At his best, Samuel wasn’t a conventional route-runner. Kyle Shanahan used him as a chess piece — split out wide, tucked in the slot, occasionally lined up in the backfield to attack a defense with handoffs and yards after contact. He earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2021 with 1,405 receiving yards and racked up 365 rushing yards that same season, a dual-threat workload few receivers in the league can match.
He hasn’t hit those heights since, and his 10.1 yards-per-catch average in Washington last season was a career low. That’s part of why the wait has stretched into training camp. But a veteran who can line up anywhere and create after the catch still has value, provided a coaching staff knows how to deploy him.
| Season | Team | Rec | Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | San Francisco | 77 | 1,405 | 6 |
| 2024 | San Francisco | 51 | 670 | 3 |
| 2025 | Washington | 72 | 727 | 5 |
The comparison shows a player who’s leveled off from his 2021 peak but still produced solidly last year — closer to a reliable No. 2 than the game-breaking No. 1 he once was in San Francisco.
What Comes Next
Nothing is finalized, and nothing is close to it. Samuel remains unsigned with camps set to open across the league in the coming days. Whether he ends up back in the Bay Area, in New England, in Kansas City or somewhere else entirely likely comes down to money, opportunity and which team blinks first as rosters fill out. Samuel, for his part, says he’ll be ready whenever that call comes.
“Some people ask like, ‘Are you ready to hang it up?’ And I’m like, nah, everything’s got timing,” he said. “So I promise you when the time come, it’s going to come. And I’m overly prepared, overly ready for the moment.”
