Struggling Stars: 49ers’ Key Players Face Unprecedented Challenges, Casting Shadows on Season
The San Francisco 49ers faced something of an unknown future as they entered 2021 in limbo.Samuel, the Niners’ 2019 NFL Draft second-round pick out of South Carolina, is coming off an injury-plagued year that ended badly. made his first start when Jones suffered a broken leg in the offseason, then missed nine games in the regular season with both foot and hamstring problems.
After 2020, it was reasonable to question whether Samuel would be a productive offensive asset given his promising rookie year and recent injuries.
Samuel’s hot start despite the Niners’ own start to the season was a joy to see. And while his receiving numbers dipped slightly in the second half of the year, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s choice to convert the receiver to a “wide back” and integrate him into the ground game resulted in one of the most unique offenses.
player in recent NFL history.Overall, Samuel finished 2021 with 1,770 all-purpose yards, third most in the league, and 14 touchdowns, rightfully making him both a Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro.However, as fans will easily remember, Samuel’s interim period was more plagued by contract conflicts, trade requests and a desire to no longer be used as a wide back.
While both sides are hopefully moving closer to a resolution, there is one salient point to note: Samuel is no longer flying under the radar.Entering the fourth year, let’s see what the proverbial “target on his back” means for Samuel and if he can meet the likely high expectations of 2022..
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