Deebo Samuel is listed as a receiver, but he had almost as many carries as he had catches. He caught 77 passes for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns, while running for 365 yards and eight touchdowns on 59 carries.
In the 49ers’ three postseason games, Samuel had more carries (27) than catches (10) to give him 87 receptions and 86 rushes for the entire season.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel was asked this week about the possibility of using A.J. Brown like the 49ers use Samuel.
“Deebo plays running back, and he plays receiver,” Vrabel said, via Jim Wyatt of the team website “That’s a very unique skillset, and I think that would be a conversation that I would have with A.J. and how comfortable (he is running the ball). We’ve handed it off to him, but I think there are some differences.
“I get it. I am just as curious as what (the 49ers) do with Deebo and I watch and I see the runs that they have with him. … A lot of these are skillset driven. In conversations with A.J. to date, the focus is on making him a better receiver, and then expanding what he does for us. Not to say that he couldn’t or he won’t, but I don’t know that he’s going to have 100 carries or whatever Deebo had. I can’t sit here and promise you that. I don’t know that A.J. would want 100 carries from behind the center.”
Brown has only five career rushes for 70 yards and a touchdown, including two for 10 yards in 2021.
