The 49ers are fresh off their bye, and as they embark on the second half of the season, it looks like they'll be returning a key piece back into their offense. As San Francisco gears up for its Week 10 matchup against the Jaguars, Deebo Samuel has been a full participant in practice all week and carries no injury designation into Sunday's game. Samuel has been sidelined since suffering a hairline fracture in his shoulder on Oct. 15 in a Week 6 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
"Any time, not being part of the game is hard, but I've been there before," Samuel told reporters Thursday, via NBC Sports Bay Area. "It's a mental thing just getting back and getting ready to play. Just taking it day by day, getting ready for the game on Sunday."
Before going down with this injury, Samuel was making an impact within the 49ers offense both as a pass-catcher and in the backfield. He has 20 receptions for 302 yards and a touchdown while adding 95 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 18 carries. Having that type of dynamic weapon back at Kyle Shanahan's disposal should only make the San Francisco offense that much more of a headache to match up against.
The All-Pro wideout missed the past two games and, given how vital Samuel has been within the Niners offense, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to see that the injury coincided with the club's three-game losing skid that dropped them to 5-3 on the season heading into the break. With Samuel expected to be back on the field Sunday in Jacksonville, that should give the 49ers a great opportunity to snap the losing streak and reestablish themselves as the team to beat in the NFC.
"We just got to get back to doing what we do best and that's playing good ball, getting takeaways and staying on the field longer," Samuel said.
Trent Williams, another star who's been sidelined, returned to practice in a limited capacity Thursday and Friday. He's listed as questionable for the Jaguars game. Head coach Kyle Shanahan referred to Williams as "real questionable" and said a lot will depend on how his ankle reacts from the past two days of practice and from the 49ers' cross-country flight, per ESPN.
