Kyle Shanahan revealed last week that Deebo Samuel has been dealing with what the San Francisco 49ers head coach described as a "tweaked hip." It's an injury that has forced the rookie wide receiver to miss some practice reps during the team's offseason program.
Samuel joined NFL Total Access on Wednesday and explained that the injury is nothing to worry about. In fact, had it occurred during the regular season, it would not have forced him to miss a game.
"It wasn't nothing that serious," Samuel told Lindsay Rhodes. "It was, I think, just being cautious. Now is not the time to overstrain it. We have a month [left until training camp], and this season is a couple of months away. We just figured we're not going to force it.
"If it was a game-type situation, it was something I would have played with. It was nothing serious."
The 49ers made Samuel their second-round selection out of South Carolina in April. He registered 62 receptions for 882 yards (14.2-yard average) with 11 touchdowns with the Gamecocks in 2018.
Samuel was one of two receivers selected by the 49ers in this year's draft (Jalen Hurd was the other) and remains as one of two unsigned draft picks (Nick Bosa being the other).
"The days that I was out, it was all about mental reps, watching the older guys and how they move around, and things like that," Samuel continued while addressing the injury.
49ers players are enjoying some time off before reporting to training camp in late-July.
"We don't consider it as time off," Samuel said. "We consider this as time to work, and come back in the best shape possible, and be ready to rock and roll when training camp hits."
H/t to Levin T. Black for the heads up on the NFL Network appearance.