NFL Trade Rumors: San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel to Miss Multiple Weeks

The 49ers' depth at pass is being tested early in the 2024 regular season. Speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a calf strain in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and will "probably miss a couple weeks."

Already without running back Christian McCaffrey for at least the next three games, the San Francisco 49ers will also not have wide receiver Deebo Samuel for the next couple of weeks.

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Samuel played extensively in Week 2, nabbing eight receptions for 110 yards and rushing twice for -10 yards. Shanahan believes the injury occurred late in the fourth quarter on the 49ers' final drive.

The 49ers rode one of the league's deepest and best receiving corps all the way to a Super Bowl appearance in 2023, but their offense will be stretched near the breaking point in the weeks to come. They recently placed versatile running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve; He missed Sunday's game and will miss at least three more. The 49ers have also been without their 2024 first-round pick wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was shot in the chest in late August during an attempted robbery.

While Samuel, McCaffrey, and Pearsall all recover, the 49ers will have to lean heavily on All-Pro tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Kittle has missed 14 games since 2020, and Aiyuk sat most of the offseason as he awaited a contract extension. Veteran backup Jauan Jennings will likely inherit starting duties at wide receiver across from Aiyuk. He has had a solid start to the season, snatching seven receptions for 101 yards at an impressive 11.2 yards per target through two games.

With upcoming games against the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, and Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers can't afford to find themselves in an early hole. If they're going to have a chance to repeat as NFC Champions, they'll need third-year quarterback Brock Purdy to step up and prove he's more than just the beneficiary of an elite system. Purdy has been elite while throwing the ball to the 49ers' glut of talented pass catchers, but he's seldom been tested like he will be in the coming weeks. The next few games could go a long way toward proving he's worthy of a significant contract extension this offseason.