“I’ll line up anywhere” - NFL analyst says Deebo Samuel is secretly happy as a running back
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel was one of the most versatile players in the NFL last season. Not only did he shine at the receiver position, recording over 1,400 receiving yards, but he blazed as a unique hybrid running back when called to take carries out of the backfield.
Samuel set the record for most rushing touchdowns (eight) by a wide receiver in a single season while rushing for 365 yards and averaging 6.2 yards a carry.
Deebo Samuel has 8 rushing touchdowns this season, the most by any wide receiver in a single season in NFL history. https://t.co/fmR86iuZOa
Former NFL tight-end Greg Olsen talked with Colin Cowherd on The Herd and expressed his view that Samuel should take a contract where he's paid more like a receiver than a running back.
Olsen said:
“I'd be curious how, if Deebo got the contract that he wants, he wants to be paid like a top-tier wide receiver. If I'm Deebo, I want to make sure that the 49ers don't try to attach a contract to me, that's more running back than it is wide receiver because as we said before, the receiver market is just exploding. Now, if he could get paid like a receiver, I don't think he would have any issues. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think he has any issues with his usage. Guys like him, they want the ball."
Olsen added that Samuel wouldn't mind getting any touches out of the backfield.
Olsen added:
"Whether it's a short little screen or a toss in the backfield or a traditional hand off him with the ball is in everybody's best interest, him, the team, everybody, but he just wants to make sure that , if you're going to line me back up there at running back, and I'm going to run between the tackles, and you're going to toss me the ball, don't pick, you're not gonna pay me like one, you're still gonna pay me like a wide receiver. And if you do that, I'll line up anywhere. To me, that's the mentality.”
Deebo Samuel says he doesn't want to be a hybrid RB/WR
Tom Pelissero reported that Deebo Samuel doesn't want to be a hybrid wide receiver or running back anymore, despite Greg Olsen's take.
Deebo doesn’t want to be a Wide back anymore 👀 https://t.co/29scIY5sfp
Peliserro said on NFL Now:
"One factor in Deebo's statement is, he wants to be a receiver and not a receiver/running back."
It makes a lot of sense why a young receiver wouldn't want to play both positions, as he is trying to have a long career and earn some money. Last season, Samuel had 136 touches, which is a significant workload. Perhaps Samuel doesn't want that same workload, as it may shorten his career.