One of the biggest, and best, things GM Adam Peters did for the Washington Commanders this offseason was trade with the San Francisco 49ers for star wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Samuel has missed at least one game in every season since he was drafted in 2019, and he's coming off the worst season in his career, but not all of that falls on his shoulders.
Regardless of the past, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn says he is "pumped" to have Samuel on his squad in 2025.
"Coaching against him, this is an explosive player," Quinn said. "Not just the scheme, but after he gets the ball in his hand, sometimes you can tell the toughness of a player with and without the ball. He has both of those and an explosive nature. To add a player of his caliber into a tough and strong group, we're really pumped about it."
Last season, Samuel caught 51 passes for 670 yards and three touchdowns. In contrast, Washington's Terry McLaurin caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns. McLaurin is Daniels' favorite target, and that's unlikely to change, but Samuel and McLaurin have different styles of play that will give Daniels an additional target down the field. Having two dynamic receivers will force defenses to adjust how they defend the Commanders because they each require attention.
Quinn's excitement about Samuel's joining the team speaks to Samuel's character and the potential Quinn sees for his offense with Samuel on his side. Defending him has never been easy for any cornerback, and now he's suiting up in burgundy and gold.
After the draft, we'll get a much clearer picture of how the Commanders plan to use their newly acquired talent in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' Dan Quinn 'pumped' to have Deebo Samuel
