49ers WR Deebo Samuel Breaks Foot

Samuel could miss the first few games of the season.

The 49ers just got their first bad news of the offseason.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a Jones fracture in his foot Thursday during a throwing session in Nashville, Tennessee with Jimmy Garoppolo and other 49ers, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

#49ers WR Deebo Samuel suffered a broken foot on Tuesday during a throwing session with teammates in Nashville and will be having surgery today, I’m told. It is a Jones fracture, and he should be able to be on the field early in the season.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 18, 2020

Rapoport writes Samuel should be on the field early in the season, meaning he could miss a few games since he's expected to be sideline for three to four months. That's not good news for a team that lost its other starting wide receiver, Emmanuel Sanders, this offseason. Sanders signed with the New Orleans Saints, a top NFC contender.

Wide receiver Trent Taylor suffered a Jones fracture last year during training camp and missed the entire season because he had multiple setbacks.

Here's what Santa Rosa physician Gary Furness, a member of the California Athletic Commission, said about Jones fractures: 

"Jones fractures are through the metatarsal shaft (long part of a bone), and typically no joint space is involved -- a very good thing, compared to fractures that involve other areas of the foot. In an active person, if there is any hint of instability and/or displacement of the fracture, an operation is usually recommended. While the x-ray often looks pretty innocent, there is a high degree of what is called "non union," where basically the bone does not heal. So I would guess surgery will be recommended. Usually there is a couple of weeks of non-weight-bearing post procedure. Or if you are trying to heal without surgery, then ~ 6-8 weeks in a walking boot (these have mostly replaced walking casts). Most often the outer, or "little toe" metatarsal is involved. Total of three months would be a good guess of being relatively inactive."

Samuel has a history of breaking bones. He broke his right fibula in 2017 while playing for South Carolina and missed the rest of the season. He also missed games due to hamstring injuries earlier in college.

Samuel missed one game in 2019 with a groin injury, but started 11 games during the regular season as a rookie, gained 961 yards from scrimmage and scored six touchdowns. Then in the playoffs, Samuel started all three games and gained 229 yards from scrimmage. He became one of the 49ers' most important weapons on offense along with tight end George Kittle and running back Raheem Mostert.

If Samuel can't start Week 1 against the Cardinals, the 49ers probably would start Kendrick Bourne and whichever young, unproven wide receiver steps up—Brandon Aiyuk, Jalen Hurd, Dante Pettis or someone else. 

If Samuel's injury lingers, the 49ers could trade for a wide receiver who's on the final season of his contract, just as they did in 2019 when they acquired Emmanuel Sanders.

This year, the 49ers could target the Chargers' Keenan Allen, the Lions' Marvin Jones or the Texans' Kenny Stills.

Stay tuned for more information about Samuel's fracture foot as it becomes available.