National Football League

Deebo Samuel against playing running back for 49ers

Published Jul. 23, 2022 4:58 p.m. ET

Deebo Samuel wants to get paid, and it seems the San Francisco 49ers want to pay him.

However, the amount is in question, as are other items, such as his usage on the field, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

"The 49ers would like to pay him," Rapoport told Rich Eisen this week. "It's really just a matter of do they get to the right number and do they show sort of him a plan going forward where he is not gonna be in a position to be worn down and have his career shortened, which I think was the worries before.

"He is a dynamic player, he is a great weapon — he is not a running back. And he does not want to be a running back. Would he like to take the ball on end-arounds? Yes, I think he would. But he would not like to have 10 carries up the middle."

As outlined by Rapoport, Samuel wants to play receiver and receiver only, as he hopes to avoid the grind of carrying the ball out of the backfield.

Last season, Samuel had 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns while averaging an NFL-high 18.2 yards per catch. He also had 59 carries for 365 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards per carry, which ranked second in the league.

And with that, Colin Cowherd said Friday that he is siding with Samuel, saying he's not another diva wide receiver, looking to call the shots.

"He sees himself as a wide receiver, not a running back, and he's looking around the league. Derrick Henry was out half of the season. Dalvin Cook has never played a full season. Saquon Barkley doesn't feel like the same back. Christian McCaffrey can't stay healthy.

"His added responsibilities at running back only take years off his career. Sometimes it benefits the athlete. Micah Parsons is a linebacker and the Cowboys like to use him off the edge. So that hybrid model is good for the player. But football players have notoriously short professional careers, and it's the most popular league, so employees and football players have rights, too."

Deebo Samuel, 49ers no closer to reaching contract extension

News comes out that Deebo Samuel and the San Francisco 49ers are no closer to coming to terms on his contract extension. Deebo's biggest issue? He isn't happy with the way he's used in Kyle Shanahan's offense. Colin breaks down the developments in San Francisco.

The Niners have seen several of their star players miss time in recent seasons. George Kittle, for example, has battled injuries, missing 11 of an allotted 33 games over the last two seasons, and Samuel himself only played in seven games in 2020 due to injury.

Cowherd doesn't believe there's a coincidence.

"It's physical football — it's Kyle Shanahan football," he said. "And as much as I love it, and as daunting as it has been for the more finesse Green Bay Packers, it's a highly physical offense that asks a lot physically from its players, and Deebo Samuel is saying, 'Go draft another running back. I'm a wide receiver.'

"Deebo Samuel is in Year 4 — he's already dinged up. Davante Adams was in Year 9, fresh as a flower. In Year 9, he just signed a massive contract. The best guys in the league are struggling to stay healthy."