The Washington Commanders sought out Deebo Samuel this offseason.
That's how trades work for high-profile players. The Commanders wouldn't have given up valuable draft capital in return if they didn't have strong belief in what the former San Francisco 49ers star could bring to the table in the nation's capital.
Now, his role is shaping up. He's the WR2 in an offense led by Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin.
Samuel could also reprise his role as a running back.
ESPN's Dan Graziano broke it down like this in a new article out Wednesday:
"I don't think it'll be exactly like it was in San Francisco in 2021, when Samuel was getting six, seven carries per game and occasionally even serving as the team's primary running back. But Washington's coaches believe Samuel can be a factor when lined up in the backfield, and they'll be looking for ways to get him touches. Remember that Wes Welker, who is on the Commanders' staff as a personnel analyst, was the 49ers' wide receivers coach for the first three years of Samuel's career and has a strong relationship with him -- and a pretty good idea of how to get the best out of him."
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Samuel has run for 1,143 yards in his NFL career with 20 touchdowns on 202 carries.
His powerful running style, which makes him a great after-the-catch receiver, also helps him operate as a rather-natural-looking RB.
The Commanders just traded away Brian Robinson Jr., which may free up a few more backfield looks, too.
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Austin Ekeler and the exciting rookie Jacory 'Bill' Croskey-Merritt are in the picture. Chris Rodriguez and/or Jeremy McNichols could be, too.
But Samuel is as explosive as anyone on the Commanders' roster, and after what they traded to get him, it's safe to expect them to make sure he touches the football plenty.
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