Adam Peters is not going to rest until the Washington Commanders have a Super Bowl-caliber roster capable of sustained contention. The general manager went a long way to achieving this objective by acquiring wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. via trade from the San Francisco 49ers.
Samuel wanted a fresh challenge heading into the final year of his deal. The Niners granted his wish and found a tremendous landing spot for the versatile weapon. And it cost Peters nothing more than a fifth-round selection thanks to Washington's ability to absorb his $17.47 million salary in 2025.
This is a low-risk, high-reward pickup by the Commanders. Samuel is a dynamic, physical player with dangerous credentials after the catch. It's the perfect complimentary piece for Terry McLaurin and gives quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels another Pro Bowl asset to utilize.
This is a small yet important piece of the puzzle. Peters will be incredibly active over the next few weeks with only 47 players under contract and 28 free agents to navigate. Samuel should help enormously, but there is still a significant amount of hard work ahead.
Not everyone stands to benefit from Samuel's arrival. With this in mind, here are five Commanders players on the chopping block following the trade.
Commanders players on the chopping block after Deebo Samuel trade
Olamide Zaccheaus - Commanders WR
Deebo Samuel Sr.'s arrival takes the wide receivers under contract next season to three. But considering his expected influence and the presence of Terry McLaurin, the Washington Commanders can turn their attention to finding rotational pieces during free agency and the draft.
The Commanders will probably bring back one or two from the previous campaign. This has to work from a financial standpoint, but rewarding players who contributed wouldn't be the worst idea in the world from a continuity standpoint if nothing else.
Washington's trade for Samuel does nothing to improve the hopes of Olamide Zaccheaus getting an extension. The wideout flashed promise after reuniting with head coach Dan Quinn, reaching career heights in receiving yards and receptions in 2024. Whether that's enough for another commitment hasn't been determined.
His skill set is similar to what Samuel brings to the table. Zaccheaus does his best work in the short-to-intermediate areas and can gain yards after the catch. It's nowhere near the standard Washington's latest acquisition has accomplished throughout his career, so it'll be interesting to see what the future holds for the Virginia product.
