Deebo Samuel is back with the 49ers, and the offense plan now includes RB snaps and kick returns

The 49ers are bringing back wide receiver Deebo Samuel for a second time, and the team’s usage plan indicates a broader role than the traditional outside-receiver label. As reported by Yahoo Sports on Aug. 1, Samuel is not just returning as a pass-catcher. The plan also calls for him to play running back and to handle return kicks as part of the offense and special-teams picture.

For San Francisco, the move is about flexibility, not just a single-position upgrade. Samuel’s history with the 49ers has included creative plays that blur the boundaries between receiver and runner, and the report’s emphasis on him also returning kicks points to a specific intent: put him in high-touch situations where he can be a problem for multiple phases of the game.

From a roster-construction standpoint, adding a player with that kind of multi-role value can change how the playbook is built week to week. When a player is expected to function as a receiver, a ball-carrier, and a return-kick option, it forces opponents to prepare for several different “looks” on the same roster spot. The 49ers, at minimum, will be able to dress him in multiple packages without treating each assignment as entirely separate.

The report also frames this return as official, meaning the 49ers are indicating they intend to commit to Samuel’s impact rather than treat him as a limited participant. In practical terms, a clear plan for running-back work and return duties suggests coaches view him as more than depth and more than a situational specialist.

Still, the details of how those roles will be distributed during training camp and the regular season remain to be seen. Even when a team describes usage in advance, actual snap counts, return involvement, and play-calling integration can shift based on practice execution, personnel matchups, and game-to-game roster decisions.

For 49ers fans and opponents alike, the key early question will be how San Francisco blends Samuel’s assignments with the rest of its offensive and special-teams personnel. If he is used as both a runner and a return-kick option, the 49ers could increase the number of touch opportunities around him and potentially create more “short-field” or field-position swings through special teams. The second-order question will be how quickly the team can execute those roles at full speed.