The San Francisco 49ers bringing Deebo Samuel back a year after he requested a trade would feel like a “vibes” move. The San Francisco 49ers bringing in Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs this offseason would feel like a move to address some of the issues the offense had in 2025.
The 49ers need a wide receiver who thrives at the intermediate level but can also excel at the short and deep levels. Doubs is 6’2″ and turns 26 in April. He caught 55 passes last season with an average depth of 12.9 yards. Doubs was a first-down machine, as 76.4 percent of his receptions moved the chains.
The 49ers didn’t have an isolation receiver last year. It was telling that when the team needed someone to go to, Kyle Shanahan drew up plays for Jauan Jennings rather than Ricky Pearsall. Nobody would argue that Pearsall brings more to the table as a whole, but situationally, you can’t ignore that.
Through the first half of the season, Doubs aligned isolated on a career-high 34.8 percent of his snaps, which was the 9th-highest in the NFL up to that point. Doubs being productive in that role should be another reason the Niners interest is piqued. Watching Doubs have 124 yards on eight receptions in a playoff setting shouldn’t hurt, either.
Doubs would be a little different from the “YAC bro” type of receivers the 49ers are accustomed to using. He only broke five tackles last season and only had one game with over 20 yards after the catch. It’s also not something to view negatively.
One could argue it’s time for the Niners to evolve from the early Shanahan days and move on from the “Deebo types” and rely on the 6’2″ wideouts who can make plays down the field. Doubs had five receptions of over 20 yards last season. On 32 targets from the 10-19 (intermediate) range, he had 16 receptions, averaging 17.2 yards per reception with an average separation of 2.3 yards.
Doubs could take over the “Third and Jauan” role as well. Doubs caught 13 of his 24 targets on third down, 12 resulting in a first down, for an average of 14.38 yards per reception. How Doubs was used on third downs would make him a good fit. Here are a handful of examples:
- Green Bay would isolate him on 3rd & 3, and Doubs would win on a slant for a first down.
- 3rd & 6 as the isolated receiver, Doubs catches a 6-yard curl after separating underneath and gains 10 yards after the catch.
- 3rd & 2 from the slot, runs by the cornerback for a 33-yard touchdown
- 3rd & 1 as the isolated wide receiver, runs a corner route for a 33-yard gain
- 3rd & 8 as the isolated receiver, wins on an out route for a first down
That’s Doubs winning on five different routes, all on third down and to different areas of the field.
Jennings and Deebo’s route tree was somewhat predictable. You could sit on specific routes because you knew the odds of Deebo running anything to the sideline or Jennings beyond 12 yards were slim. That’s not the case with Doubs.
I don’t want to make it seem like Doubs is the next Terrell Owens. His frame makes it difficult to win in contested situations. On 25 targets last year, there was a “tight window,” or the separation was under a yard, and Doubs only caught five of those passes. It’s worth pointing out that some of those were jump balls that didn’t have a chance, and most were down the field — the average was 16.8 air yards per target. Still, Doubs didn’t finish the play.
Spotrac’s market valuation predicts that Doubs will command $12 million per season. Pearsall, on one side, with Doubs on the other, at that price in this offense would make everybody better. Adding Doubs would allow the 49ers not to feel like they’re forced to select a receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft, too.
The 49ers would still be missing their Brandon Aiyuk or true WR1, but the offense would be in a much better position with Doubs on the roster heading into the draft.
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