Heading into the NFC Championship game on Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers will be eager to see just how much progress wide receiver Deebo Samuel can make as he attempts a quick turnaround following a shoulder injury that knocked him out of last week’s playoff game against the Packers.
Samuel was limited in practice on Thursday, January 25, but the fact that he could practice at all was a positive. And one guy who is rooting for Samuel in particular is quarterback Brock Purdy.
The 49ers have a wide array of options for Purdy, but Samuel is one of the most reliable. The 49ers use Samuel in a variety of ways, but one of his strengths is his ability to take a pass of any length and turn it into something bigger.
Samuel led the league with an average of 8.8 yards after the catch, meaning that no matter where Purdy found Samuel, he would, on average, pick up nine-10ths of another first down.
So Purdy had a message for Samuel: We’d love to have you back.
“Obviously, he’s probably the best playmaker in this league,” Purdy said in a January 24 press conference. “You get the ball in his hands, he can do whatever he wants. He makes guys miss, breaks tackles, he’s strong, he’s tough, he’s got grit and we all feed off it.
