Don't expect Deebo Samuel back with Commanders in 2026

Washington acquired Deebo Samuel one year ago for a 2025 fifth-round pick, hoping the versatile receiver could reignite the offense and give quarterback Jayden Daniels a dynamic weapon. Samuel attended every offseason session, quickly built chemistry with Daniels, and appeared poised for the hybrid slot-backfield role that had made him a matchup nightmare in San Francisco.

The blueprint unraveled fast. Terry McLaurin’s contract hold-in turned into two separate injury stints, Austin Ekeler was lost in Week 2, and Noah Brown barely saw the field. Forced into a more conventional flanker role, Samuel still posted 72 receptions, 727 receiving yards and five touchdowns—each figure ranking among the top seasonal totals of his career—while adding 75 rushing yards and a rushing score. Yet his 10.1 yards per catch was a career low, the by-product of an offense that leaned heavily on quick screens designed to let him run after the catch.

Now, with Kliff Kingsbury gone and new coordinator David Blough installing an under-center, run-heavy scheme modeled on Ben Johnson’s Bears attack, Samuel’s fit in Washington is murky. The receiver turned 30 this offseason and is unlikely to command the long-term payday Spotrac projects at roughly $15.8 million per year. According to industry chatter gathered by analyst Matthew Berry at last week’s NFL combine, the Commanders are not expected to pursue an extension, making Samuel’s lone season in burgundy and gold appear exactly that.