When 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel broke his foot in June, initial reports were that he’d miss at least three months while recovering from the injury.
That timeline would leave Samuel unable to play in games at the start of the regular season, but the wideout painted a different picture. He said he expected to return in 10 weeks, which would give him a chance of playing in the season opener.
It appears that the initial view of Samuel’s recovery has taken hold for the team. General Manager John Lynch said on KNBR Tuesday that the team is not banking on having Samuel in the lineup right off the bat.
“Deebo was really working,” Lynch said. “That’s the wonderful thing about this kid. He has a desire to be great. A freak deal. A blow. Might we be whiteout him at beginning of season? Yes. Fair to say he may well miss some games early in the year.”
If Samuel is out, the 49ers may be looking for early contributions from first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk. Jalen Hurd and Trent Taylor, who both missed last season with injuries, could also factor into the mix.