Deebo Samuel Sr. expected his first NFL trip through free agency to look a lot different than this.
The Washington Commanders moved on from the wide receiver, and the market that was supposed to be waiting for him has never really shown up. What should have been a smooth next step has turned into a waiting game, and Samuel is now trying to keep the faith while the calendar keeps moving toward the regular season.
“It’s kind of been tough, not even going to lie to you. With me and how I play this game, it’s just like, no matter what I’m going through, no matter what I’m doing, if I’m able to perform, I’m going to go out there and put it on the line for my team.
“Some people ask like, ‘Are you ready to hang it up?’ And I’m like, nah, everything’s got timing.
So I promise you when the time come, it’s going to come. And I’m overly prepared, overly ready for the moment.
And whenever that right opportunity show up, we here first, man. I’m ready to rock out.”
Those words landed like a message to any team still weighing whether Samuel is worth the call. He’s making it clear he still believes he can help somebody, even if the process has dragged on far longer than he expected.
Last season should have been enough to get him signed by now. It wasn’t.
Maybe age is part of the equation. Maybe the hits he’s absorbed over the years are part of it too.
Even so, Samuel stayed in shape through 2025 and kept himself ready while the situation around him grew more uncertain.
The question now isn’t whether he can still play. It’s where he fits.
He probably isn’t walking back into All-Pro form, but that doesn’t mean he can’t matter. In the right system, with the right role, Samuel still profiles as a useful complementary piece - the kind of player who can give an offense a different gear.
A return to the San Francisco 49ers was reportedly something Samuel wanted. That interest, though, was one-sided.
The Los Angeles Rams would make sense too if he were willing to accept less money. Any team with a young quarterback looking for a dependable outlet could use what the South Carolina product brings.
For now, though, nothing has materialized.
The longer Samuel waits, the more uneasy this can get. He clearly believes he still has plenty left to offer, but the league hasn’t matched that belief with a contract. At this point, it looks like he may have to accept a smaller role and a smaller payday than the one he envisioned when free agency opened.
In Other News...
Commanders Suddenly Have Something An NFC Team Might Desperately Want
The Panthers edge-rush depth took a major hit when Nic Scourton tore his ACL on the first day of training camp, and the timing makes the setback especially painful. Carolina is already weighing ways to patch the hole, and Washington has quietly become one of the teams worth watching because of how much edge-rush talent it brought in over an active offseason.
For the Commanders, the interesting part is not just the need elsewhere in the NFC, but the fact that they may have more options at the position than they can comfortably keep. No deal is in place, and nothing has moved beyond the exploratory stage, but Washingtons roster now has the kind of surplus that can draw calls when another team suddenly finds itself short on pass rush help. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Just Got A Bizarre New Brandon Aiyuk Clue
A strange new wrinkle has pushed Brandon Aiyuk back into the Commanders conversation, and it has nothing to do with a highlight reel or a trade rumor. Reports say the 49ers receiver has bought property in Loudoun County, which is close enough to Washingtons training base to get fans talking about whether there is more to the move than a simple real-estate decision.
For now, it remains just that, talk. There has been no official confirmation tying the purchase to any football plans, and Washington has not made a move at receiver as the front office continues to sort through its options. Still, the timing is enough to keep the speculation alive, especially with Aiyuks status in San Francisco still unsettled and the Commanders need for clarity at the position not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Finally Got Some Good News About Northwest Stadium
Northwest Stadium got a notable off-field boost this week when the Department of Homeland Security gave it SAFETY Act Designation for its security and emergency preparedness measures. For a venue that has seen plenty of scrutiny over the years, the recognition is a reminder that Washington has poured real resources into making the building safer, including a major round of upgrades in recent seasons.
The organization says it has invested $150 million in that effort, with improvements ranging from updated camera systems and screening technology to other security layers designed to help with modern threats. Even as the Commanders continue preparing for a future beyond their current home, this is the kind of news that matters to fans who still have to walk through those gates now and want to know the stadium is keeping pace. [Read more 🡒]