Former San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel found a new home this offseason when the Washington Commanders acquired him via trade this offseason — giving Samuel a fresh start with a new team after a down year by his lofty standards.
Fortunately for Deebo, one analyst believes his skill set is a ‘perfect pairing’ in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense scheme.
Deebo Samuel Labeled a ‘Perfect Pairing’ with Washington OC Kliff Kingsbury
The Washington Commanders drafted Luke McCaffrey in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft in hopes that he could emerge as a dynamic YAC threat in this offense. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen with veteran WR Olamide Zaccheaus emerging as the preferred slot option to close the year.
Well, PFF NFL Analyst Nathan Jahnke thinks Deebo’s skillset is exactly type of player Kliff Kingsbury loves to utilize in the quick game of his offensive playbook.
Jahnke wrote, “Samuel teams up with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, which is a big reason to be optimistic for 2025. When Kingsbury was the Arizona Cardinals‘ head coach, he had Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch as his short-area receivers. Since Kingsbury became the Cardinals’ head coach in 2019, Samuel, Moore and Dortch rank among the eight wide receivers with the lowest average target depth.”
Samuel ideally fits the mold of a hybrid playmaker in this scheme that features a plethora of air raid principles. Additionally, there isn’t anyone of the Commanders’ roster who has a similar skill set to Deebo — which gives him a clearly defined role entering year one in Washington.
Jahnke added, “Samuel has been the king of avoiding tackles throughout his career. Over the past five years, he ranks first in receiving avoided tackles per game, at 1.6, and avoided tackles per reception, at 0.38. Even last season, despite the constant injuries, his 0.314 avoided tackles per reception was the highest average for wide receivers.”
How Will Deebo Samuel Fit Into the Washington WR Room in 2025?
Samuel may not supplant Terry McLaurin as the top receiver in Washington, but their skill sets contrast perfectly to give opposing defenses a pair of explosive threats to worry about on all three levels of the football field.
Jahnke concluded, “Samuel has a decent amount of experience in the slot and could see more time there with Washington. That would allow the Commanders to get their most experienced receivers on the field together if the younger receivers aren’t ready to contribute… There should be plenty of room for McLaurin and Samuel to see plenty of targets. Zach Ertz and Austin Ekeler are the lead receivers at tight end and running back, respectively, and both are among the older players at their positions. None of the team’s other wide receivers will command a high target rate when everyone is healthy, and McLaurin has never had an elite target rate even when he’s been the clear top option.”
Deebo had a very disappointing year in 2024 with just 51 receptions for 670 receiving yards and three receiving scores over 15 games played. These numbers look even worse when you consider Samuel didn’t firmly establish himself as the WR1 on the roster after Brandon Aiyuk got hurt.
Yet, Samuel finds himself in a nice situation with an ascending young quarterback and an offense that could use the skill set he has excelled at over his entire NFL career.
If Samuel has anything left in the tank, then Commander fans are likely to reap the benefits in 2025.
