49ers WR Deebo Samuel expected to be out until September with broken foot

The 49ers might be without one of their most important offensive players early in the upcoming season.

Receiver Deebo Samuel on Tuesday sustained a Jones fracture to his left foot, the team confirmed after NFL Network first reported the news Thursday. The injury happened during a players-only throwing session with teammates in Nashville.

Samuel had surgery on Thursday and the team said a time frame for his return will be known when the team reports for training camp scheduled for July 28.

NFL Network reported Samuel is expected to miss 12 to 16 weeks. The Sept. 13 season opener against the Arizona Cardinals is scheduled for just over 12 weeks from Thursday. Samuel will likely miss all of training camp and the preseason.

Samuel is more optimistic about his recovery. He tweeted Thursday, “10 weeks I’m back better than the deebo you seen before.”

Samuel, 24, is coming off an impressive rookie season becoming one of San Francisco’s most dynamic offensive weapons. His 802 receiving yards ranked second most by a rookie wideout in team history behind Jerry Rice’s 927 in1985.

Samuel in his first season had more yards from scrimmage than Rice, 961 to 953, thanks to his 153 rushing yards. He scored three touchdowns on the ground and three through the air. He also set a Super Bowl record for rushing yards by a receiver with 53 against the Chiefs. Samuel averaged 72 yards per game during the second half of the regular season.

Samuel dealt with injuries during two of his four college seasons at South Carolina, including a fractured ankle in 2017 on the same left leg as this week’s injury.

The 49ers had already lost their top receiver Emmanuel Sanders in free agency to the New Orleans Saints. Samuel was expected to have a big second season, but that becomes far more challenging now that his practice work will be limited after the offseason program was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

tSan Francisco used a first-round draft pick on Arizona State receiver Brandon Aiyuk to help make up for Sanders’ loss and may require an expanded role if Samuel misses time. The team also has fourth-year pro Kendrick Bourne, 2018 second-round pick Dante Pettis, veteran newcomer Travis Benjamin, Richie James Jr., and Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd, who missed all of last season with foot and back injuries, respectively.

Taylor suffered a similar Jones fracture before the preseason opener last August. He was initially expected to miss four to six weeks. But Taylor’s foot became infected and he wound up needing five procedures and missed the entire season.

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 12:44 PM.