Analyst Rips 49ers' Deebo Samuel as Rams Hated Rival Struggles

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has been struggling, and he has been called out yet again as a result.

Sep 17, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams have been rounding into form, going 5-2 over their last seven games to improve to 6-6 and inch forward in the NFC playoff picture.

The San Francisco 49ers have not been nearly as fortunate, as they have lost three in a row to fall to 5-7 and plummet into the NFC West cellar.

It has been an absolutely shocking decline for a 49ers squad that looked like the best team in the NFL on paper heading into 2024, but it's beginning to look more and more like San Francisco will not be in the playoffs this winter.

There are many reasons why the Niners have been struggling so heavily, but one of them has been the underwhelming play of wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

Samuel has caught just 38 passes for 531 yards and touchdown this season. He has also been largely ineffective as a rusher, averaging a paltry 2.9 yards per carry.

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger took Samuel to task during a recent appearance on 95.7 The Game, saying that the star pass-catcher simply does not look effective on the field.

"Nothing's going on with Deebo," Baldinger said. "I mean, he doesn't separate. He's not getting open. There's nothing that looks exceptional about him. We liked him in the dual role. But why would you hand the ball off to him if you had—before this game—[running backs Christian] McCaffrey and [Jordan] Mason, who both played really well, and [fellow running back Isaac] Guerendo? What carries do you want to take away from those guys to give it to Deebo? You don't."

Samuel hasn't gotten a single carry in either of the last two games and has toted the ball 27 times for just 79 yards and one lone score on the season.

For reference, the 28-year-old registered 225 yards and five touchdowns on the ground in 2023, logging 6.1 yards per attempt. Between 2021 and 203, Samuel reached the end zone five times as a rusher.

Now, to be fair to Samuel, the 49ers have been ravaged by injuries this year, so his efficiency has certainly been limited by the lack of supporting pieces around him. Brandon Aiyuk, for example, is out for the season due to a torn ACL.

Still, there is no question that Samuel himself hasn't looked good, and it could result in San Francisco ultimately parting ways with the former Pro Bowler during the offseason.

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