The San Francisco 49ers managed to squeeze a lot out of a season that was constantly interrupted by injuries. But if there was one area that never really caught up, it was the wide receiver room. Brandon Aiyuk is gone, and both Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore are headed toward unrestricted free agency. Simply put, they need help. Well, there’s one familiar name floating around.

The rumor mill says the 49ers could be open to a reunion with Deebo Samuel, now a free agent after his stint with the Washington Commanders. Washington is still weighing whether it makes sense to bring him back. If San Francisco enters the picture, that decision might not take long at all.

The Niners didn’t come close to producing a 1,000-yard receiver this season. Jauan Jennings led the group with 643 yards. Bourne followed at 551. Ricky Pearsall, their 2024 first-round pick, couldn’t get any traction after a brutal run of injuries and appeared in just nine games.

That lack of firepower showed up in the passing game. Brock Purdy finished the year with 2,167 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, solid but clearly capped by who he had to throw to. Samuel, meanwhile, put up 727 yards and five touchdowns in Washington. There’s also the familiarity factor. Samuel spent the first six years of his career in San Francisco.

Still, there’s a reason teams hesitate. Washington brought Samuel in, hoping to rediscover the player he was early in his run with the 49ers. That didn’t really happen. Durability remains the biggest concern. Samuel has already dealt with 21 injuries in his career, a track record that is a cause of concern.

Samuel’s price tag is also part of the equation. When Washington acquired him, the Commanders reworked his contract to guarantee $17 million for the 2025 season, a figure that reflected both his pedigree and the risk involved. It remains to be seen whether the 49ers would be willing to meet anything close to that number if they seriously pursue a reunion.

The Commanders could try again, but not at last year’s price. They have other holes to fill and limited cap space to work with. San Francisco isn’t exactly in a position to gamble recklessly either. After a season dominated by injuries, adding another high-risk piece isn’t an easy sell.

But the reality is this: the 49ers need someone. Cutting Aiyuk left a real void, and it has to be filled one way or another.

49ers and the peculiar Brandon Aiyuk situation

Brandon Aiyuk never took a snap for the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, and at this point, there’s no mystery about what comes next. He won’t be back. General manager John Lynch didn’t dance around it after the season-ending loss to the Seahawks.

“I think it’s safe to say he’s played his last snap with the 49ers,” 49ers GM John Lynch said.

Aiyuk was supposed to be part of the long-term core, under contract through 2028 after signing a four-year, $120 million extension in August of 2024. But the unraveling started quickly. Once the 49ers voided the $27 million in guaranteed salary for 2026, the writing was on the wall.

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Since signing the extension, Aiyuk has appeared in just seven games. In 2024, his season ended abruptly when he tore his ACL and meniscus in the right knee. He opened this past summer on the physically unable to perform list and never reached the point of being cleared by the team. The comeback never really got off the ground.

Then came the contract move. The 49ers voided the future guarantees after Aiyuk essentially stopped showing up, a development that closed the door on any realistic path forward. It’s unfortunate because, at his best, he was supposed to be their primary vertical threat for years. The move does free up some money, but it also leaves a pretty thin depth chart.

Right now, there’s no real depth in the receiver room. With Jauan Jennings headed toward free agency, Kyle Shanahan is staring at an offense built around Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, Malik Turner, and Junior Bergen. That’s not nearly enough, especially for an offense that relies so heavily on spacing and timing.

Whether the answer is Deebo Samuel or someone else entirely, the conclusion is unavoidable. The 49ers need a new deep threat.