There have been a lot of rumors that have followed Washington Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel over the last few years.
After an All-Pro season in 2021, Samuel's numbers have declined at an alarming rate. Questions about his effectiveness grew when the former South Carolina product reportedly had weight issues in his final year with the San Francisco 49ers.
Now that he has been traded to Washington, those weight concerns aren't going away.
After a clip from Commanders' minicamp went viral showing Samuel running a route and looking rather plodding doing so, fans around the league criticized the 29-year-old for seeming overweight and slow.
However, some of Samuel's former teammates are sick of hearing those criticisms. 49ers tight end George Kittle publicly responded to one clip by defending Samuel.
"It's called group install when players jog thru plays," Kittle posted on X/Twitter. "Knock it off."
Maybe so, but ...
Samuel's weight issues were apparent in San Francisco. He was slower last season than he had been in years, and all of that cannot be ignored.
In this instance, though, Kittle could be on solid ground. How Samuel looks in minicamp is inconsequential to how he is expected to be during the regular season. Washington is counting on him to be a durable player for their elite offense in 2025.
It is foolish to think that his running slowly during an offensive installation period is a be-all/end-all indictment of what kind of athlete he is now.
Deebo in top shape, with the game on the line? That's what they brought him here for. And that's what Washington fans are surely looking forward to.