Trading for Deebo Samuel equipped sensational second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels with an All-Pro wide receiver, but the Washington Commanders would be smart to start planning for a future without the versatile and battle-scarred pass-catcher.
Fortunately, the Commanders already have a “speedy” and “challenging” receiver with the skill-set to eventually replace 29-year-old Samuel. In the meantime, rookie Jaylin Lane will give Daniels another ideal target for the way the Commanders play offense.
The Commanders took Lane off the board with the 128th pick in the 2025 NFL draft. They got somebody Lane’s former head coach at Virginia Tech, Brent Pry, described as “deceptively quick,” per ESPN’s John Keim, who noted Pry also revealed “Lane plays bigger than his listed 5-foot-10, 196 pounds. That enabled Tech to use him as a runner and receiver.”
Pry continued by explaining Lane is “a challenging man for a lot of reasons, with the speed to find a void in the zone — he can do that quick for you. He’s got some running back qualities. He’s very good with the ball in his hands.”
Lane’s experience in the backfield makes him tailor-made for the type of role Samuel is expected to adopt in Washington. It’s the same role that made the veteran a roving source of big plays for years with the San Francisco 49ers, but couldn’t prevent a decline in Samuel’s production.
Signs of deterioration are why Lane’s development will bear close watching in 2025.
Commanders Need Deebo Samuel Succession Plan
Samuel is still one of the most dynamic skill players in the game, but he’s also pushing 30 and has dealt with a myriad of injuries in recent years. His ailments include hamstring, ankle, calf and shoulder problems.
Many of Samuel’s bumps and bruises can be attributed to the heavy workload he endured in San Francisco. He’s been targeted in the passing game over 80 times in all-but one season since entering the league as a second-round draft pick in 2019. Samuel has also run the ball 180 times since the start of the 2021 season.
Despite the wear and tear, the Commanders made the trade counting on Samuel still having plenty of after-catch juice left. As Keim detailed, “Washington’s offense ranked 22nd in pass plays of 20 or more yards. To help, Washington traded for Samuel and drafted speedy receiver Jaylin Lane in the fourth round. In the past four years, Samuel has recorded 55 such plays — 18th most in the NFL. But 23 of those occurred in 2021.”
The dwindling number of catch-and-run chunk plays recorded by Samuel the past two seasons should concern the Commanders. So should a bloated contract guaranteeing Samuel $17 million this year.
General manager Adam Peters will be spared offering a lucrative extension if Lane emerges as a viable dual-threat wideout.
Jaylin Lane’s Upside Key for Commanders
Keim pointed out how the Commanders intend to use Samuel for “underneath throws and screens in particular, both of which are key parts of Washington’s attack.”
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury will also appreciate how those concepts can take advantage of Lane’s special skills. His breakaway speed and elusiveness in the return game will be assets with the right play designs.
Plays this reverse run by the Hokies against Miami, highlighted by Lee Harvey of DAR Sports & Media, provide a template for how Kingsbury can get Lane involved early.
Building off designed runs and Lane’s natural feel for beating coverage from the slot will play to the strengths of Daniels and Kingsbury’s offense. It will also safeguard the Commanders against any further decline in Samuel’s game.
