The 49ers have confirmed that wide receiver Deebo Samuel avoided a fractured shoulder; however, his availability for the NFC championship game remains uncertain.
As a result of a shoulder injury, Deebo Samuel’s participation in the NFC Championship remains uncertain for the San Francisco 49ers.
On Saturday, during the squad’s 24-21 divisional-round victory versus the Green Bay Packers, Samuel sustained the injury.
Samuel does not have a shoulder fracture, and manager Kyle Shanahan stated on Monday that his availability for Sunday’s NFC championship game would be determined at the end of the week.
“The fact that it was not broken was an extremely positive sign,” Shanahan stated. “The pain is still unbearable to the extent that we are unable to predict how it will heal this week.”
We must exercise patience and assess his condition on Wednesday. An evaluation of his progress will provide us with a more precise determination of whether he merits a starting spot in the game.
His initial fitness to return was called into question, and he was ultimately demoted to out.
After suffering a knee injury during the second drive, Samuel retired to the locker room for assessment.
Being removed from his uniform following halftime rendered him ineligible to play for the rest of that match.
One critical uncertainty surrounds the San Francisco 49ers in advance of their NFC championship game against the Lions of Detroit on Sunday: star receiver Deebo Samuel has a “50-50” chance of playing, according to an ESPN report published on Monday.
The recovery of Samuel from a left shoulder injury, which he sustained in the opening half during Saturday’s divisional-round victory over the Green Bay Packers, will determine his participation in the decisive matchup.
Despite not making a second-half return due to the injury, the exceptional receiver contributed to the 24-21 victory with two catches for 24 yards.
Throughout the 2023 regular season, the wide receiver, who is 28 years old, demonstrated his dynamic playmaking capabilities by accumulating 60 receptions for 892 yards as well as seven touchdowns.
However, he indicated that the wide receiver’s availability for Sunday’s championship game against the Detroit Lions remains uncertain, as Samuel is still experiencing pain from the injury.
After a player observes a day off on Tuesday, San Francisco’s Wednesday practice will provide the Niners with a more precise assessment of Samuel’s availability for their third consecutive NFC Championship Game.
“It wasn’t broken, so that is a real good signature, but still aching too much for us to truly have an idea how it’s likely to heal up this week,” said Shanahan.
“So we’ve just begun to be patient, see how his feels on Wednesday, and then go off of if it’s getting better, it’ll give us more insight into whether he has a chance to the game or not.”
The 49ers’ offense frequently exhibited a lack of rhythm in his absence from the field following his departure.
After an initial assessment for an injury to the head prompted by a hit during their opening offensive series, he was reinstated to the game before being removed once more prior to being ruled out.
Nevertheless, the 49ers accumulated more yards than the Packers and defeated them by a narrow margin in yards per play (5.6 to 5.3). Brock Purdy’s game-winning drive exemplified how San Francisco’s offense performed at its peak, ultimately securing a 24-21 victory.
San Francisco will not act hastily; nevertheless, considering the gravity of the situation and the fact that Samuel has averted a severe injury, it is arduous to envision Samuel missing out on the Super Bowl when his return is so imminent.
The 49ers had meticulously prepared their offense for Green Bay via Samuel as a significant component. However, his departure caused confusion as certain plays that were intended for other players were altered.
Jauan Jennings, with five receptions for 61 yards, lost a yard while carrying on a reverse which was intended for Samuel.
Shanahan stated after the game, “You simply have to switch certain guys around, and this is always challenging for those guys.” “The event occurred during the Cleveland game.” That was not handled well by us.
I believe we handled the situation more effectively today instead of we did previously. However, it presents an immense challenge.
While Deebo undeniably ranks among our team’s top players, he is also a one-of-a-kind individual who frequents specific areas; therefore, you must adapt to that throughout the game.
Notwithstanding his absences from two complete regular-season games and a significant portion of a third, Samuel ranked fourth among 49ers receivers in receptions with 60, and third in yardage via 892 yards and seven scores.
With 225 yards rushing, he ranked third for the team, trailing only Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell, and his 12 total touchdowns were second only to McCaffrey’s 21.