Deebo Samuel optimistic about early return from fractured foot

Deebo Samuel broke his foot, but he took to Instagram and Twitter to show his optimism about a 10-week return.

The 49ers’ first injury of the 2020 season came before the team was even allowed back in the facility. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on Thursday reported wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a Jones fracture in his foot during an offseason workout. The fracture required surgery and should leave him out for a minimum of 12 weeks. The second-year receiver has other plans.

Shortly after reports of the injury surfaced, Samuel took to Twitter and Instagram to say he’d only be out for 10 weeks, and that he’d be back before the season started. A 12-week timeline would’ve put him back in action just before the team’s season opener against the Cardinals on September 13.

He posted a similar message on his Instagram story, and a more thorough message on an Instagram photo.

(via @19problemz on Instagram)

 

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Life is full of disappointments, failures and setbacks. None of those things can permanently stop you. Within yourself you got the power to overcome anything that life throws at you, the most powerful thing besides God to me is a made up mind and the mission I’m on as well as my teammates it’s no way a setback, adversity or anything else can detach me from the goal I’ve set. I’m surrounded by people who support me in the ways that matter the most. No person, situation, or circumstance can define who you are. I’m coming back harder than everrrr if you don’t believe me look at every adversity I faced then compare the bounce backs and you’ll get the picture. See you in 10 weeks 😈

A post shared by Deebo Samuel (@19problemz) on

This is the same injury 49ers wide receiver Trent Taylor suffered last preseason. While Taylor wound up missing the entire year, the prolonged absence had to do with complications from the surgery, not the injury itself. Taylor was equally optimistic about returning when he initially went down.

Samuel sustained an ankle injury in 2017 while at the University of South Carolina. The Jones fracture occurred in his left foot, which is the same ankle he fractured in college according to Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee.

While the optimism is high from Samuel, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team work him back in very slowly. They open the year against the Cardinals at home, then hit the road for back-to-back road games against the New York Jets and New York Giants.

The team will get a better opportunity to evaluate Samuel once they’re back at the facility for training camp. There are no plans for the league to push training camps back as of mid-June. If the season does wind up getting pushed back from the Sept. 13 start date, Samuel may not miss any games while sticking to a time frame less optimistic than his 10-week goal.

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