It's been a disastrous campaign for the Washington Commanders, but there have been a few bright spots amid the almost constant misery. One of those is general manager Adam Peters' decision to trade for wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr.
With almost every other productive wideout on the sidelines through injury, Samuel had to become the alpha dog when he was expected to be Terry McLaurin's sidekick. He's coped well with these responsibilities, but his hopes for an extended stay in Washington could still go either way.
There are a lot of unknowns. Samuel's production is decent, and the fifth-round pick given up to acquire him was well spent. At the same time, Peters has a lot of roster holes to fill after an underwhelming campaign when more was expected. That could mean the former South Carolina standout is on the outside looking in, leaving the first office leader free to spend the money better elsewhere.
Commanders insider sees clear path for Commanders to extend Deebo Samuel
It's a tricky conundrum. John Keim of ESPN thought bringing Samuel back was feasible. And he also felt the Commanders have enough spare financial resources to make it work, providing the All-Pro's demands aren't too high.
"He has been Washington's most productive pass catcher, as injuries have sidelined Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown for a combined 16 games. Samuel has a team-high 53 receptions (37 more than the next receiver), 470 yards and five touchdowns. A bruised heel caused him to miss one game, but Washington lacks quality receiver depth and a return for Samuel would make sense. The question is at what cost? McLaurin will count for $18.35 million on the cap in 2026, so the Commanders could afford another year of Samuel if they wanted."
John Keim
Samuel's taken advantage of this opportunity., The accusations of being a locker-room distraction and of poor conditioning haven't been evident in Washington. He's bought into the project, and although the Commanders have fallen way short of expectations, the versatile offensive weapon is one of the very few to emerge with credit from the campaign.
He'll be 30 years old next season, and Peters' handling of McLaurin's extension over the summer could signal hesitancy to shell out more money for an aging playmaker. But if Samuel is willing to accept a middle-of-the-road offer to stay with the club, it would be a win-win for all parties.
A lot can and will change before Samuel's contract takes center stage. The expected release of Brandon Aiyuk, another Niners' wide receiver who also happens to be a close friend of Jayden Daniels, could throw a wrench into the plans. There is just no telling for sure, but the pass-catcher has done nothing to hurt his chances of securing another contract.
Whether that's in Washington or elsewhere remains to be seen.