Deebo Samuel Sr. was not supposed to be the Washington Commanders’ WR1 in 2025. That role was supposed to go to Terry McLaurin, as it has every year since the Ohio State alum arrived in the franchise.
When Adam Peters traded for Samuel, he envisioned the wide receiver as a complementary player. If all went according to plan, he would be the best sidekick McLaurin had ever benefited from.
We all know what happened.
McLaurin was rusty early on after his lengthy holdout. Just as he was regaining form, he suffered an injury. He missed a month and then tweaked his quad in his first game back. For the year, Washington’s second-team All-Pro has just 13 catches for 203 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Commanders' returning stars could help Deebo Samuel flourish down the stretch
With Washington’s third receiver, Noah Brown, also missing much of the year, the role initially envisioned for Samuel has changed, and his productivity has suffered. But there is a chance that both injured wideouts could be back after the bye. If so, it may be the key to unlocking the South Carolina product in the season’s final month.
One of the most appealing things about pairing Samuel with McLaurin is their versatility. Brown is a Z receiver, but the Commanders' top tandem has the skill sets to play anywhere.
McLaurin has been the alpha X receiver for most of his time in Washington. Still, with Samuel capable of playing there, it would allow Kliff Kingsbury to experiment with the 2019 third-round pick running out of the slot.
Samuel could line up all over the field. He has been especially dangerous in recent seasons playing in the backfield and in the slot. In theory, Kingsbury would be able to mix and match his top three receivers while blending in young talents like Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane.
Injuries derailed those plans. McClaurin and Brown have both missed the bulk of the season. McCaffrey went down with a broken collarbone just as he was starting to show improvement. In the Commanders' most recent game, Samuel shared receiver snaps with two journeymen and two rookies. Washington managed just 13 points against the Miami Dolphins, who were giving up more than 24 per game.
Samuel’s individual numbers have also suffered. He averaged better than 14 yards per reception during his six seasons in San Francisco. This year, he has the highest catch percentage of his career and his lowest yards per catch. Even in his least explosive seasons as a Niner, his yards per catch never dipped below 11. This year, it is 8.9.
Nor is he running out of the backfield the way he did in San Francisco. His carries and yards per carry are both well below his season averages on the West Coast.
Without reliable, productive receivers around him, Samuel has turned into a possession receiver. It is possible this would have happened even if everyone had been healthy, but the eye test suggests that he can still make plays. The wideout needs complementary talent around him so that the Commanders can take advantage of all he can do.
As players, including quarterback Jayden Daniels, return, that chance could be coming soon. A little too late to save the season, but it should be fun to watch regardless.