The Washington Commanders kicked off their offseason recruitment with a bold trade for wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. A ringing endorsement from his old (and current) teammate is exactly what fans want to hear.
Washington saw something salvageable in Samuel despite going through a down year by his usually high standards in 2024. The Commanders didn't give up anything more than a fifth-round selection to secure his services, which could be a bona fide steal when push comes to shove.
Samuel is eager to silence his doubters. He's working hard to reach peak performance levels to hit the ground running when organized team activities resume. The Commanders also hired Wes Welker, a man known for helping the wideout reach All-Pro standards during their time together with the San Francisco 49ers.
Everything is in place for Samuel to excel. If the former second-round pick can return to his previous form, his partnership with Terry McLaurin has the scope to completely transform the Commanders' fortunes in the passing game with quarterback Jayden Daniels under center. If not, Washington can move off the player with no future financial repercussions in 2026.
Jeremy McNichols provides perfect depiction of how Deebo Samuel can help Commanders
Jeremy McNichols, who played with Samuel on the Niners in 2023, gave the acquisition a major seal of approval. The running back highlighted his relentless work ethic, bringing the same energy every day, and the passion with which he goes about his business as reasons why this move will be a great success when it's all said and done.
It's consistent. You can see the attitude that he plays with, that fire that he plays with, and it's that passion. He just runs through defenders with how hard he runs. When he catches the ball, he's trying to score every single play. Everything you see that he does on Sundays, he does that in practice. He does that in his offseason training. He's a great locker room guy … He's got a lot of great football knowledge that's gonna be able to help us a lot. Every time he touches the ball, he's trying to score. When he touches that ball, he can take it from any distance. It's really gonna be a great addition for us.Jeremy McNichols via Commanders.com
There's always a chance things could go wrong. Samuel has a lot of tread on the tires. The Niners don't believe he's got much left, considering they ate more than $34 million in dead money to remove him from the equation. Ongoing concerns about his conditioning were rife throughout his time in San Francisco, which must be monitored by the Commanders from the moment he gets into the building (if not before).
Despite the concerns, this looks like a fantastic environment for Samuel.
He's got some familiar faces around to smooth his transition. The Commanders are on the cusp of something special with bold ambitions to go one better in 2025. This also looks like a good schematic fit within Kliff Kingsbury's concepts, which will maximize the South Carolina graduate's output while also keeping him relatively fresh along the way.
McNichols is confident. That's an opinion shared by those in power and Samuel himself. If everything goes well, the Commanders won't be too far away next time around.
