Deebo Samuel will not participate in the San Francisco 49ers' first practice of the week as the team prepares for its NFC Championship Game against the Detroit Lions. While there is optimism inside the locker room that the star wide receiver will be suited up for this weekend's matchup, nothing is certain.
Samuel suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday night's playoff win over the Green Bay Packers, leading to his exit from the game. While tests revealed the receiver didn't suffer a fracture, Samuel remains in significant pain, keeping him off the practice field.
"He's feeling better," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of his ailing receiver. "... Just his shoulder hurts. That's all. Just hurts."
When asked if he expects Samuel to play against the Lions, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk declared, "I do, personally, but just continue to pray for him, that he can get better throughout the week and be out there with us to finish the job."
Brandon Aiyuk expects Deebo Samuel to play Sunday 👀 pic.twitter.com/ChGXzIzAUd
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) January 24, 2024
Fans witnessed several players stepping up against the Packers with Samuel sidelined. Does Aiyuk anticipate his role increasing against the Lions if Samuel can't go on Sunday?
"It just depends on what it's looking like," Aiyuk responded. "We lost him last week, at the beginning of the last game. We pretty much didn't have him last week, and he's the Z. I'm not the Z. So we had [WR Jauan Jennings] step up. When we lose anybody, it's a group effort. So [WR] Ray-Ray [McCloud] went in, played F, Jauan played Z, [WR] Chris [Conley] played Z.
"It's a group effort when guys go down, so I think the whole entire unit has to elevate and step up if that's the case."
Quarterback Brock Purdy discussed the impact Samuel has on the 49ers offense, saying, "I think he's probably the best playmaker in this league. You get the ball in his hands, he can do whatever he wants. [He] makes guys miss, breaks tackles, he's strong, he's tough, he's got grit, and we all feed off it. So Deebo definitely gives us some juice and energy and momentum on our offense."
The quarterback is optimistic that if Samuel can't suit up this weekend, the 49ers have players who can step up in his absence.
"We have some studs all across the board, and we got guys that can step up," Purdy explained. "Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud. You've got guys that can come in and do the job really well. So that's something that's cool about our team and what this organization has done. Obviously, they get guys that are willing to step in and continue to keep this thing going, and we've shown that, I feel like, throughout the years."
