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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Deebo Samuel react against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle finds it difficult to envision his team without wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who has been granted permission to explore trade options. In an interview with USA Today’s Sports Seriously, Kittle addressed the possibility of Samuel playing elsewhere in the 2025 season.

“One, you can’t really replace Deebo,” Kittle stated. “I think he’s one of the most unique players in the NFL because of what he can do. One, he’s the best YAC (yards after catch) guy, besides myself. I will hype myself up. I’m pretty good at that, too. But he’s so good when he gets the ball in his hands, and the fact that you can line him up in the slot, out wide, in the backfield, and do all the fun stuff with him.”

Kittle emphasized Samuel’s ability to break tackles and move like a running back while maintaining the agility and speed of a top-tier receiver. He acknowledged that replacing such a unique player would be an immense challenge for the San Francisco 49ers.

“Deebo’s a hell of a football player. I’ve loved being his teammate. I love sharing the field with him. I love going to war with him. If that is what happens, and he is traded, I’ll be very sad.”

Adjusting the 49ers’ Offense Without Samuel

With Deebo Samuel’s potential departure, Kittle recognizes that offensive adjustments will be necessary to compensate for the loss. This transition could create increased opportunities for other key players, including Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall.

However, Aiyuk’s readiness for the season opener remains uncertain due to an ACL injury. Kittle expressed cautious optimism but admitted uncertainty about his teammate’s recovery timeline.

“I would assume he’s not going to play Week 1,” Kittle said. “I don’t really know. That would be awesome if he did…But Jauan Jennings has proved that he can play like a number one wide receiver. He had a game with three touchdowns, [175] yards. He can go out there and do it. Just got to game plan for him, give him some opportunities.”

Similarly, George Kittle highlighted Pearsall’s potential impact, referencing a standout performance against the Detroit Lions, where the receiver recorded 141 yards and a touchdown. These emerging talents may help fill the void left by Samuel’s possible exit.

Christian McCaffrey’s Return and Offensive Expectations

Beyond the wide receiver position, Kittle anticipates a significant resurgence from running back Christian McCaffrey in the upcoming season. McCaffrey missed much of the previous year due to injury, but Kittle believes he will return with renewed determination.

“I’m assuming he’s going to come back kind of angry because he missed last year, most of it,” Kittle noted. “So, I think we’re going to get the best version of Christian McCaffrey. When you have a guy like Christian in the backfield, who can run all the routes and is still great in the run game, it opens everything up for our wide receivers. It opens everything up for me, too.”

With head coach Kyle Shanahan’s strategic play-calling, George Kittle remains confident in the San Francisco 49ers’ ability to maintain an elite offense, even in the face of roster changes. “And so, when it’s that combination, and with Coach Shanahan scheming it up, I think it’s going to be a great recipe for success.”

While Deebo Samuel’s future with the 49ers remains uncertain, Kittle’s remarks highlight both the challenge of moving forward without him and the optimism surrounding the team’s offensive weapons heading into the 2025 season.

Sterling Bennett is a Heavy.com contributor covering the NFL. He has half a decade of experience as a sports broadcaster at 95.7 The Game covering the San Francisco 49ers as part of the weekly “Overtime” show, where he covered Super Bowl 58. Bennett was the Golden State Warriors Network Coordinator from 2020-2024, where he was responsible for all gameday radio broadcasts, including the 2022 NBA Finals. More about Sterling Bennett