The Washington Commanders believed that Deebo Samuel Sr. would boost the offense's potential for explosive plays when they acquired him via trade from the San Francisco 49ers. They were looking for a player who could complement Terry McLaurin and take some of the attention off their No. 1 wideout.
Samuel taking on the top role for himself was not part of the plan, but for the last two weeks, he has been the Commanders' go-to target and taken the new responsibility in stride.
"As a playmaker, it kind of just spoke for itself when we traded for him," quarterback Jayden Daniels said Wednesday.
To be clear, McLaurin is still the Commanders' top receiver when healthy, but with him and Noah Brown sidelined with injuries, Samuel has stepped up in their absence and become one of the offense's best weapons. He currently leads the team in scrimmage yards (346) and is tied with Jacory Croskey-Merritt for first in touchdowns (4). Although the ideal plan is for McLaurin, Brown and Samuel to all be on the field together, Samuel has done his part to keep the offense afloat until they get healthy.
"He is as competitive as I've been around," Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said. "I mean, on game day he sets the tone with the intensity, the focus, you know, when he touches the ball it's, you're like, 'okay, here we go.' And I think that gives us all a lot of confidence when he is out there."
Samuel, who the Commanders acquired by sending a fifth-round pick to the 49ers in March, is on pace to make 102 receptions for 1,020 yards and 10 touchdowns. If those numbers were to hold, it would be his best season since his First Team All-Pro campaign in 2021, with his receptions and receiving touchdowns being career highs.
Samuel's first five games, during which he is ranked 20th in receiving yards and ninth in receptions, have been an upgrade from how the last season went for the 2019 second-round pick. He started 15 games but was limited to 806 total yards -- the second lowest total of his career -- with only four touchdowns.
But the Commanders had a vision for Samuel when they traded for him, and it involved him doing a little bit of everything. He has touched the ball a total of 43 times this season through a mixture of receptions, rushing attempts and kickoff returns. He currently sits atop the NFL in average kickoff return yards, helped by his 69-yard return against the Las Vegas Raiders (that play is the third-longest return of the season for any NFL team).
It should not be surprising, then, that head coach Dan Quinn said Samuel's contributions have meant "a lot."
"I'm pleased with the trajectory that he's headed," Quinn said. "The next steps, different spots, different locations and so he's making all the right moves for us and so we just want to keep him on this trajectory and where he is at and how we're going."
Some of Samuel's effectiveness and comfort level in the Commanders' offense can be traced back to his relationship with Daniels, which has been evolving since their first practices together in the offseason. Daniels targeted Samuel on his first throw of OTAs, which resulted in a touchdown, and since then, the two have spent extra time together learning how to blend their skill sets.
"I mean time is everything; time is of the essence," Daniels said. "So, for us it's like, man, the more we talk, the more we hang out in the locker room, guys get closer, you start completing some passes on and off the field and you talk about different things so you can see it through the eyes of me and he's doing a great job."
It's not a secret the Commanders have been trying to get him the ball, particularly with all the injuries they have endured to start the season. He has as many targets in the passing game as Zach Ertz and McLaurin combined and more yards after the catch than the next three Commanders players combined.
Despite that, the Commanders continue to have their most success when they get him the ball. Washington's quarterbacks have a combined passer rating of 125.9, which not only leads the team but is also tied for 16th in the league.
"He can play outside, he can play inside, he can play running back, he can do it kind of all," Kingsbury said. "And I think that allows me as a play caller and us as an offensive staff to be creative and how we get him the ball and continue to try and find ways to do that."
Quinn disagrees with the belief that Samuel is the only Commanders receiver opponents have to worry about right now, but so far, Samuel has fit the role the Commanders wanted him to when they added him to the roster. Washington emphasizes trying to put players into positions that best highlight their traits. Samuel happens to do a little of everything, and that's "so much fun" for Quinn and the rest of the team to witness.
"I love the energy and the toughness that he brings to the team," Quinn said. "And yeah, we're going to try to put him in as many spots as we can to make his impact, and he's always down for that."
