The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for the NFC Championship on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles and while the team is dealing with a few health issues, a key player took an important step in the right direction Thursday. Swiss Army knife Deebo Samuel (ankle) was a limited participant at practice after sitting out on Wednesday, as reported by Omar Ruiz.
Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell also didn't practice Thursday due to injuries, but it appears to be more of a precaution from Kyle Shanahan. There is little doubt the RB duo will play, along with Samuel. After all, this is the biggest game of the season for the Niners.
Deebo had four catches for 45 yards in the win over Dallas and also rushed for 11 yards on four carries. Not a huge performance from the 27-year-old, but San Fran didn't need it. They had enough contributions elsewhere to beat the Cowboys.
However, there is no question Deebo Samuel needs to be firing on all cylinders against a stout Philly defense, whether he's running the football up the gut or wreaking havoc downfield. It's crystal clear just how important Samuel is to this 49ers offense, who will have their work cut out for them in the hostile environment at Lincoln Financial Field.
Deebo finished the regular season with 56 receptions for 632 yards while also rushing for 5.5 yards per carry as an RB. He is capable of destroying opponents in a number of ways, which is why Samuel is so valuable. Ankle pain or not, you can expect him to be leading San Francisco out of the tunnel, possibly with some Kodak Black blaring on the boombox, too.
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