Questions about Deebo Samuel’s conditioning aren’t going away, with a former Super Bowl champion for the Philadelphia Eagles the latest to trash the Washington Commanders wide receiver for his shape and energy levels this offseason.
Brandon Graham, who helped the Eagles win a pair of Lombardi Trophies as a skilled and imposing edge-rusher, brushed off the idea Samuel makes the Commanders a bigger threat in the NFC East.
Responding to social media creator jankyrondo (h/t Jason Dumas of Action News on 6abc), Graham had this to say about Samuel: “I wouldn’t worry about him, he gotta be in shape first. He don’t look like he in shape right now.”
BG on Deebo Samuel:
“I wouldn’t worry about him. He has to get in shape first”
🎥 credit IG: Jankyrondo
That’s quite the putdown of an All-Pro who has been one of the premier dual-threat playmakers in the NFL through his career. Yet, Graham’s harsh take is part of a growing narrative about Samuel being in less-than peak physical condition since arriving in Washington via a trade with the San Francisco 49ers.
There is a concern about if the versatile veteran has the same speed, agility and power that made him a Pro Bowler in San Francisco. Those concerns were doubled down on by former 49ers, Eagles and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens, who told JankyRondo (h/t Sleeper’s Brandon) Samuel is “about two chicken nuggets from tipping the scale.”
The Commanders need Samuel to refute the narrative. He’s set to be arguably the most important member of the changing supporting cast being built around sensational second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Deebo Samuel Subject to Familiar Criticism
Graham’s is the latest voice to add to the noise surrounding whether or not Samuel is in ideal football shape. The 29-year-old was called out by a few online observers for the way he moved at minicamp, prompting one of Samuel’s former teammates to defend the wideout.
The only way to silence the jibes is for Samuel to turn the clock back to his stunning 2021 season. When he converted 77 catches into 1,405 yards, while also rushing for 365 yards and eight touchdowns.
Those might be lofty targets for a player who’s since missed eight games with hamstring, shoulder, ankle and rib injuries. Even so, there are still those who believe Samuel has landed in the ideal spot to get back to his best.
Commanders Can Help Deebo Samuel Defy Doubters
There’s a good reason why Daniels is excited to work with Samuel and believes the run-after-catch demon will make his job easier. It’s the same reason explained on the Underdog Fantasy Football podcast with Josh Norris and Hayden Winks.
Norris explained Samuel “can win and be a zone-killer or a manufactured-touch killer, and Jayden Daniels attempted nearly 26 percent of his passes at or behind the line of scrimmage, and I do think, like, Deebo is just better than the players he was throwing the football to there last year.”
Deebo Samuel & the Commanders are a perfect fit regardless of how he looked in camp
Those qualities are perfect for a Commanders offense schemed in surprising ways by coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. The play-caller has already been working on ways to change key parts of Daniels’ game for the better, and that process will be easier once Samuel is up to full speed.
He’s not there yet, but that’s understandable given the time of year on the NFL calendar. What the Commanders will need to see is a supercharged Samuel in game-ready condition when veterans report to training camp on Wednesday, July 22.
That’s how Samuel can begin silencing the critics.
