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NFL.com
Deebo Samuel: Commanders ‘getting a motivated Deebo’ after trade from Niners
“They’re getting a motivated Deebo,” Samuel said of the Commanders Thursday in his introductory video conference with reporters via the Associated Press. “I’m very motivated. I’m just ready to get back to work. I’m just ready to get around a group of guys, meet with the players and we just go from there.”
Samuel was admittedly overweight last season, had sideline outbursts and complained about his usage in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Following the trade, the 29-year-old is out to show he’s still a playmaking force.
The Commanders showed their faith by guaranteeing his $17 million salary and adding $3 million more in incentives.
“It just kind of shows what they think,” Samuel said. “For me on my end, it’s just like they put this much trust in me to do the things they as far as my contract, I can’t come in here and let them down. I’ve got to give it my all. I’ve got to do all the things that I need to do to be the best version of myself when I come here.”
Pro Football Talk
Deebo Samuel on trade to Washington: I like to win
Samuel said in his introductory news conference Thursday that his decision was “tougher than most people think” because of the relationships he developed in San Francisco. He gave the 49ers a list of five preferred destinations, with Washington one of the five.
“Being in San Francisco, I like winners. I like to win,” Samuel said, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone. com. “I’m not one of your biggest losers. They went to the NFC Championship.”
The Commanders had several draws for Samuel, including his familiarity with General Manager Adam Peters, who previously served as the 49ers’ assistant G.M., and his desire to return to the East Coast. The Commanders’ immediate turnaround with quarterback Jayden Daniels also was a plus.
Washington Post (paywall)
New WR Deebo Samuel promises Commanders are ‘going to get a dog’
Washington gave up a fifth-round pick to acquire him, a small price for a potentially significant return. Finding players with something to prove has been a theme for the Commanders in consecutive offseasons, but with Samuel, they raised the stakes further.
The Commanders tacked on $3 million in incentives to his contract while also guaranteeing his salary, according to a person familiar with the terms. Samuel has only a year left on his contract. It’s a small show of trust, but it also stokes Samuel’s competitive fire. Instead of trying to extend his contract before seeing how he performs, the Commanders kept it at one year, with a $17.5 million salary cap charge this season.
Anything more is up to Samuel.
Sports Illustrated
New Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel ready to team up with Terry McLaurin
The Washington Commanders have a dynamic duo at receiver, and the newest one is looking forward to getting together with Terry McLaurin.
“I’m ready to come in here and work right alongside of Terry,” Samuel said. “We got drafted together...he’s been playing at a high level for the past six years–we’re going on seven–so they kind of consider us old, but I don’t consider us old. I think these young legs (are) still moving (and) his body’s still working pretty well.”
McLaurin is coming off his second Pro Bowl selection and fifth-straight 1,000 yard season for the Commanders while Samuel’s 806 yards of offense in 2024 was the second-fewest in his career thus far.
Commanders Wire
Why did Michael Gallup retire and then decide to return?
On Thursday, Washington introduced Samuel to the media while quietly signing a veteran wide receiver that fans should know: Michael Gallup.
Gallup actually visited Washington during the first week of free agency but left without a contract. Just over one week later, the Commanders signed the former Dallas Cowboys third-round pick for a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum.
So, why did Gallup retire?
After signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, Gallup said he wasn’t in the “right head space” and retired in July. Before signing with Las Vegas, all six of Gallup’s NFL seasons were in Dallas.
“The way I was let go from being in some place for so long and then jumping right into a whole other team and not being able to process it,” he said. “I never went through that before. So, trying out how to process that and everything, I think it was just fast for me, and I wasn’t there yet.”
It...helped coming to the Commanders, where Jayden Daniels is the quarterback, and Dan Quinn is the head coach. Gallup was in Dallas all three years that Quinn served as defensive coordinator.
Gallup said that Quinn, even though he was on the defensive side of the ball, was always checking on him, and that mattered to him personally. Gallup acknowledged the opportunity with Washington would not have happened if Quinn had not advocated for him.
Commanders.com
Five things to know about CB Jonathan Jones
He was one of the best high school hurdlers in the country.
Jones was a versatile player for Carrolton High School. He was one of the best cornerback prospects in the country but also received some snaps as a running back and kick returner. He even returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the Georgia All-Star game.
But Jones wasn’t just a star on the football field. He also excelled on Carrolton’s track and field team and was ranked as one of the top hurdlers in the country. He placed third in the New Balance Nationals and won the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics National Championship in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.72.
Jones used his speed throughout his high school career to outpace opponents. During his junior year, he won state outdoor 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles events and claimed the Georgia Class 3A all-points trophy.
NFL.com
Ten best moves of the 2025 NFL offseason so far: Bears, Bengals, Rams among teams trending up
Washington Commanders trade for Deebo Samuel. Commanders general manager Adam Peters has made a flurry of moves over the last few weeks — including the trade that delivered left tackle Laremy Tunsil — but Samuel is the one that should generate the most excitement around D.C. Even though the 29-year-old wide receiver is coming off one of his worst seasons (51 reception for 670 yards and three touchdowns), he also was playing on a 49ers team that struggled through an assortment of health problems, including a season-ending knee injury to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. This trade now pairs Samuel with a rising star quarterback (Jayden Daniels) in an offense that already has a No. 1 receiver (Terry McLaurin). It’s not hard to see Samuel thriving with that type of talent, as well as a rushing attack that ranked third in the league last season. These are basically the same variables that were in play during his peak years in San Francisco and you saw the production that came as a result. Samuel is a physical receiver who also brings added versatility as a runner and gadget-play option. You have to assume offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury already has spent ample time contemplating all the ways he can utilize that skill set next season.
[ Ed note : despite the sentiment from Jeff Chadua in this NFL.com article, my sense is that Commanders fans are more excited about the Laremy Tunsil trade than the one for Deebo. Of course, this site is called “Hogs Haven” for a reason.]
Podcasts & videos
Episode 1,033 - Discussion of Deebo Samuel's intro press conference, Commanders signing Michael Gallup & telling comments from Tress Way on the improved culture.
I also talk Caps clinching a playoff spot, Kevin Willard's savage move on Damon Evans & more.https://t.co/OnHfhQlmdR
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) March 21, 2025
Best Moments Bracket, Bram Weinstein on Free Agency & NFL Draft | Get Loud | Washington Commanders
NFC East links
Blogging the Boys
Cowboys FB Hunter Luepke may suffer from changing offense
It is going to be interesting to see how the Cowboys work Hunter Luepke into their plans.
One young Cowboys player with a lot of fans is fullback Hunter Luepke. But after two years on the roster in Mike McCarthy’s offense, Luepke now has to reprove his worth to a renovated coaching staff. Based on history, particularly Brian Schottenheimer’s, Luepke’s versatility may not have the same value now as it has the last two seasons.
Fullbacks probably get more attention in Dallas than most of the NFL because of our deep-rooted appreciation for Daryl “Moose” Johnston as a beloved figure from the 90s dynasty. Two strong years from Richie Anderson in the early 2000s helped to stoke the fire a bit, too. But even as the position teeters on extinction throughout most of the league, the Cowboys have generally kept one on the roster most seasons.
Now with Schottenheimer taking full control of the Cowboys’ offense, Luepke’s value could take a hit. Fullbacks have never really seen the ball much in Schottenheimer’s offenses, going back through his past stops with the Seahawks, Rams, and Jets. They may see plenty of work as traditional run-blockers but either he hasn’t had any with much offensive skill or hasn’t chosen to feature it. In Seattle, converted linebacker Nick Bellore was the fullback and only touched the ball five times in two seasons under Schottenheimer.
If this trend holds now that Schottenheimer’s calling plays in Dallas, that could be a real problem for Luepke.
NFL league links
Articles
The Athletic (paywall)
How much does every NFL owner want to win? A team-by-team breakdown of their efforts
Contention mode
Philadelphia Eagles
There’s nothing complacent about Jeffrey Lurie’s organization, in which players have no doubt their owner is “extremely committed” to winning, according to the NFLPA report cards. The Eagles lost several key players to free agency, but rewarded Saquon Barkley and Zack Baun for their championship-caliber contributions, flipped Kenny Pickett for Dorian Thompson-Robinson (who has greater potential) and added key veterans such as guard Kenyon Green (trade), pass-rusher Josh Uche and running back A.J. Dillon.
Willing to do what it takes to win
Washington Commanders
Preaching “people, culture and talent,” owner Josh Harris signed off on another aggressive offseason, which included trades for wide receiver Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil as GM Adam Peters works to fortify the team around quarterback Jayden Daniels. After years of dysfunction and repeated resets under Daniel Snyder, Washington players have showered Harris with praise for his leadership and the support he offers Peters and coach Dan Quinn.
Stuck in struggle mode
Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones loves to claim he wants to win another Super Bowl in the worst way. But above all, Jones loves being the center of attention and maintaining control. That causes him to hold onto coaches too long because he doesn’t want to pay them not to work, or to pass on hiring the most talented coaches because they might want more power than he’s willing to cede. Jones also tends to drag out player negotiations because he’s determined to pay them on his timeline, even if it means ultimately costing himself more in the long run.
New York Giants
They paid Daniel Jones when they knew he wasn’t the guy, and then released him a season-and-a-half later. They opted against paying running back Saquon Barkley when they knew he was special. John Mara is letting GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll run it back in a bad year to need a quarterback in free agency or the draft.
All aTwitter
Michael Gallup's deal is for one year for the vet minimum, per source. Worth up to $1.335 million.
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) March 20, 2025
Washington signed WR Michael Gallup. In six seasons with Dallas he caught 266 passes and averaged 14.7 yards per catch. He did not play last season.
— John Keim (@john_keim) March 20, 2025
Michael Gallup said he wasn't "in the right head space" last year so he retired. Said it stemmed from going from leaving Dallas and having a tough time adjusting.
— John Keim (@john_keim) March 20, 2025
Tress Way said when he entered the building to sign his new deal, coaches were there to greet him -- music playing, people cheering for him. Called it a surreal moment. "I'm just pinching myself," he said. Said he told Adam Peters he didn't know teams did things like this.
— John Keim (@john_keim) March 20, 2025
FINAL: Capitals 3, Flyers 2
Alex Ovechkin scored goal No. 888 of his career as the Caps held on to earn their 100th point. Brandon Duhaime and Andrew Mangiapane scored. Charlie Lindgren was excellent in net with 27 saves. Back at it Saturday vs. FLA
— Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_Cadeaux) March 21, 2025