The 49ers didn’t have wide receiver Deebo Samuel in practice at all after their preseason finale. Samuel was dealing with a bone bruise behind his knee, but he was back in action Monday for the team’s bonus practice leading up to Week 1 of the regular season.
It’s a significant plus for the 49ers if Samuel is going into the season at full strength. The fact he was in for a bonus practice before the official practice week begins is a great sign for his health in returning from the knee bruise.
Not to mention any additional time Samuel can spend with quarterback Trey Lance is valuable, especially since the receiver’s role could be changing some in an offense led by the young signal caller.
While Samuel was back in action, offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill was still absent per reporters. He’s dealing with a hamstring injury that might wind up forcing him to miss the first week or two of the regular season. Once he’s healthy the club might find that he’s one of their five best offensive linemen.
Matt Barrows of the Athletic also noted defensive back Dontae Johnson is out of his blue non-contact jersey after working through a rib injury. Johnson could wind up starting at free safety for the 49ers on Sunday in Chicago. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is now in a blue non-contact jersey while dealing with an arm ailment.
