Deebo Samuel officially gets No. 19 back with 49ers

San Francisco 49ers will once again see wide receiver Deebo Samuel in No. 19 as he officially returns to the number he wore during his first five seasons with the team. The NFL’s transaction report confirmed the change Friday, after Samuel had already been wearing No. 19 during practice.

San Francisco selected Samuel in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He initially wore No. 19 with the 49ers before changing to No. 1 in 2024. Samuel also wore No. 1 during his high school and South Carolina careers and kept that number during his only season with the Washington Commanders. His return to San Francisco now comes with a return to his original 49ers number.

Jacob Cowing previously occupied No. 19 for the 49ers, but he has moved to No. 6, clearing the jersey for Samuel.

Samuel is back with San Francisco after spending one season in Washington. The 49ers signed him to a one-year contract worth up to $7 million after Ricky Pearsall suffered a season-ending PCL injury. A significant portion of Samuel’s deal is incentive-based. Samuel pointed to the 49ers’ culture as an important reason for returning.

His role could extend beyond the wide receiver position. General Manager John Lynch said Samuel will compete for both return jobs. Samuel has 41 career kick returns, including 15 last season, giving San Francisco an experienced option after the team lost Skyy Moore in free agency.

Punt returns remain less certain because Samuel has no NFL experience at that position. Jordan Watkins and Cowing have punt-return experience, while Junior Bergen is another healthy kick-return option. Isaac Guerendo has return experience but is currently unavailable due to injury.

Samuel also reunites with quarterback Brock Purdy, after the two previously helped the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl in 2022 and 2023.