Peter King of NBC Sports grabbed a few headlines this morning by quickly stating the Deebo Samuel could be out until October while saying the San Francisco 49ers can be patient with the receiver's recovery thanks to the team's schedule.
That October timeline is news to Samuel.
The second-year receiver made his timeline clear in June when he had surgery to repair the Jones fracture of his left foot. He plans to be ready for the start of the regular season.
Samuel responded directly to King's most recent report, telling fans not to believe everything that they read online.
"Can't put a time frame on nothing you don't see working," Samuel shared via Instagram.
Deebo Samuel responds to speculation regarding the Peter King report that he could be out until October. #49ers // #49wz pic.twitter.com/aDN7OE6RGE
— TheSFNiners (@TheSFNiners) July 20, 2020
That would indicate that Samuel still sees a late August or early September return as a possibility, and is putting no stock in King's October timeline. That might be good news for the 49ers and their fans. Samuel is expected to be a featured weapon on offense, not only this season but for years to come.
RELATED Peter King says Deebo Samuel could be sidelined until October, but 49ers can be patient
It is also worth noting that King's mention of October didn't sound like it is based on any new information. It merely seemed like a conservative timeline based on a typical recovery from the injury. Nothing more.
Remember, the initial timetable reported was 12 to 16 weeks of recovery. The high end of that estimate would set up an October return. Samuel later stated that his timeline was 10 weeks, not 12 to 16.
However, another well-known member of the media, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, said in June that he expects the 49ers to be cautious with Samuel's recovery and return to the football field.
"From what I understand, 12 to [16] weeks is the estimate," Rapoport said on 95.7 The Game. "I know he put on Instagram that he will see everyone in 10 weeks. If that is the case, that would be an incredible outcome for the 49ers.
"It would also be a small bit scary because you don't want anyone to rush back from this. So I would definitely expect [the 49ers] to be cautious, especially because, the way it's looking, he is looking like a really bright star for this 49ers team. I would think they would be very, very cautious."
Injured players and quarterbacks will report to the 49ers for training camp on Thursday. Rookies report tomorrow. The rest of the team arrives in Santa Clara next week.
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