Deebo Samuel Sr. has endured a rough free agency after the Washington Commanders decided not to bring him back. However, his old San Francisco 49ers teammates are rallying around the wide receiver in his quest to find a new home.
Samuel was reportedly interested in a move back to San Francisco after one season in Washington. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports stated that the Niners went in a different direction, and that was supposedly made clear to the versatile pass-catcher. That hasn't stopped some influential figures within the NFC West club from making their feelings about a potential reunion clear.
Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the latest player to show their support for Samuel, posting a video on his Instagram of the South Carolina product working out. He's not alone either, with fullback Kyle Juszczyk and tight end George Kittle doing the same recently.
Ricky Pearsall posted Deebo Samuel’s training video 🤝
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) July 23, 2026
First it was Kyle Juszczyk, then George Kittle, and now Pearsall has taken to IG to show support for Deebo pic.twitter.com/hR5pLpW5Zq
Former 49ers' teammates rally around Deebo Samuel after Commanders turned away
This confirms how popular Samuel was (and still is) in the locker room. His influence in the field waned, and financial pressures eventually led San Francisco to trade him to the Commanders for a fifth-round pick. He performed well overall, but it wasn't enough for another team to take the plunge quickly.
It should still happen. But nobody knows where that'll be right now.
Samuel admitted that this free-agent experience is not what he anticipated. He clearly feels a little stung and believes there is plenty of good football left before hanging up his cleats for good. But if he and some ex-teammates are clamoring for a return to the California sunshine, they might be out of luck.
The Niners are well-stocked at receiver. They signed Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency. They spent the No. 33 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft on De'Zhaun Stribling. Pearsall is still around, as is Demarcus Robinson. There is also Brandon Aiyuk, but his time with the team is done.
It's a numbers game. At the same time, money shouldn't be a problem with the Niners having $71.48 million in available cap space. That's more than enough to make Samuel an acceptable offer, but it seems they have moved on.
Samuel is way too talented to be without a new team for much longer. While he might not have the All-Pro potential of years past, he is a consistent pass-catcher who can be used anywhere. He's not scheme-dependent, and his leadership through tough times in Washington last season spoke volumes about his professionalism.
The Niners know what he can bring. His former teammates are pushing for it in their own subtle way. But it'll remain an anxious wait for Samuel until something surfaces.
Watch this space...
Add us as a preferred source on Google