49ers sign Deebo Samuel to 3-year contract extension

San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel has signed a three-year contract extension, coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. The deal, worth a max value of $73.5 million, includes a $24 million signing bonus and $41 million fully guaranteed.

NFL Network first reported the terms of the deal.

Deebo Samuel deal mechanics…

-$41m fully guaranteed

-$24m signing bonus
-49ers’ control thru 2025, void year in 2026 to stretch out cap
-Escalating base salaries (only $965k and $1.08m next two seasons, $21m in 2024)

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 1, 2022

Samuel, a second-round pick in 2019, was entering the final year of his rookie contract. The 26-year-old is coming off a first-team All-Pro season in which he caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 365 yards and eight touchdowns.

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The extension comes as the 49ers don pads at training camp for the first time on Monday. That milestone was considered a deadline of sorts for Samuel, who is known as an exceptionally physical player.

Samuel is immensely vital to this franchise. That’s why the 49ers had no real interest in trading him even when communication between both parties was temporarily ruptured in April. Last season, the 49ers offense was over four times as efficient (measured by EPA/play) when Samuel was on the field versus when he was off of it.

Samuel’s agent, Tory Dandy, had already gotten deals done for A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf this offseason, so the timing was ripe for the new deal, as there were no more parameters for the 49ers and Samuel to fetch in helping construct the contract.

For new starting quarterback Trey Lance, the first four days of training camp looked a bit wobbly at times. While the 49ers will likely ease Samuel back into action once the ink dries on the new deal, Lance and the offense will benefit greatly from having their leading receiver and touchdown scorer back from last season.

https://t.co/vXA7fTExFM pic.twitter.com/4pspUNnx6x

— Deebo (@19problemz) August 1, 2022

Kyle Shanahan’s offense relies on positional versatility, and Samuel’s ability to play running back might’ve saved the 49ers’ season in 2021. But he’s always one of the game’s best wideouts, and both of his skill sets will be essential to support Lance in this pivotal season for the young QB.

Samuel averaged 10.8 YAC per reception last year, by far the highest amount by any player on record (PFF’s data goes back over 15 years).

Samuel has been historically good with the ball in his hands and was also historically versatile in 2021-22. Counting the playoffs, he became the first player to amass 1,500 receiving yards and 500 rushing yards in a season.

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Shanahan said Samuel will be available to take snaps at running back if needed again in 2022.

“Deebo is a special player,” he said. “That’s why he’s earned this contract. That’s why he’s going to continue to earn it moving forward.”

(Photo: Michael Zagaris / San Francisco 49ers / Getty Images)