San Francisco's transitional offseason included the departure of a cherished star in Deebo Samuel.
The end felt somewhat inevitable. Samuel had battled through multiple injuries and his production -- and importance within the 49ers offense -- had declined. When general manager John Lynch completed the deal that sent Samuel to Washington, the expectation was finally realized.
Still, Samuel's exit forced teammates to grapple with their new reality. In the end, instead of crying because it was over, one fellow 49ers star could smile because of the time they'd shared.
"I'm happy for him that he went to Washington," tight end George Kittle said during an appearance on the Bussin' With The Boys podcast. "Guys need a fresh start sometimes, and he wanted a fresh start, and so, I'm very happy for him. I'm sad that I don't have him on my team anymore because I just loved having him around the locker room and stuff like that. But I'm happy for him."
At 29, Samuel is squarely in the prime of his career. His trade has invigorated a Commanders fanbase that is already riding high after a dreamlike 2024 season that saw them reach the NFC Championship Game. In their eyes, Samuel is one of the missing pieces they need to clear that checkpoint on their route to a Super Bowl appearance.
There are, of course, questions regarding whether Samuel can ever reclaim what once made him a 1,405-yard receiver in San Francisco. Those answers won't materialize immediately, but if he was looking for an ideal situation, he found it in Washington, where rising star Jayden Daniels embarks on his second NFL season after earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in what was a transformative 2024 campaign.
This fact -- plus the presence of another former 49ers front office executive -- have helped Kittle feel better about watching a former teammate head east.
"I'm happy he went to Washington because Adam Peters is there, our old assistant GM, and he's the man," Kittle added. "And then, also, they're pretty good at football, too."
One week ago, Daniels was asked about Samuel and smiled when relaying his vision of tossing Samuel a short pass and watching the South Carolina product take it 80 yards for a touchdown. In the world of dreams, these plays happen frequently.
Washington will hope to make them a reality in 2025. And Kittle will likely match Daniels' smile when watching the highlight.