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Before practice, head coach Kyle Shanahan praised Samuel's influence on the team.
"My favorite thing about Deebo is how much he inspires people," Shanahan told reporters. "And he inspires me more than almost any player I've watched on the field, the way he runs the ball, whether you're handing it to him, whether you're throwing it to him, whether he's catching it on a kick. And these aren't things you have to talk him into doing. Usually, he talks you into doing [it] because Deebo loves playing football, and he loves helping us win, and I think that's what everybody sees on Sunday when you guys watch him on TV, and I think that's why this country really likes Deebo also."
Williams was asked to elaborate on how Samuel inspires him and his teammates.
"By the way he plays," Williams responded. "Every time he touches the ball, you watch how he finishes the play. If there's any crease, he's going to exploit it. You watch what he [does] receiving-wise, you watch what he [does] rushing-wise. I mean, the spark plug that he is for the team—you see us come out of the locker room. It's not just for show. That's how we are in the locker room, period.
With Samuel signed through the 2025 season, the 49ers have their core (Nick Bosa impending) locked up for years. That's why Trent Williams expects the team to keep winning for a while.
"It definitely gives you confidence in the future," Williams said. "We're a young team. I'm the old head, obviously. This is a very young team. It's a very young team. As long as they get all of those important pieces under contract, this team's going to be a really good team for a long time, even after I leave."
Williams praised the front office for holding onto much of the team's talent, like Samuel and himself. The team has also recently secured others like George Kittle and Fred Warner to long-term deals in recent years.
Most expect the 49ers to boast one of the best defenses in the NFL this season. Williams believes it is "the best defense in the league," which will go a long way in the 49ers reaching their 2022 aspirations.
"That I've been around? Yeah, of course," the veteran offensive lineman responded. "That's been the case the last two years. The team just keeps getting better. The front office is amazing. The guys that they continue to bring in. They might sign somebody you never heard of, and when they get here, you understand why they signed him.
"To me, that's the nuance of the business that gets lost. Everybody gets so enamored with the new prospect and the guys who had a nice college career, following the path to the draft. If it's a person you never heard of, maybe went to a small school, I think a lot of us just say they're just development guys.
"I think you go through the draft year in and year out, and you're seeing people that come from small schools that can really play, and they can play really well, and they can really help a team. I like to see that this organization turns over every stone before they just say, 'We're going to take this player.'"
