One of the many free agents the Washington Commanders will have to make a decision on is wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
The Commanders acquired Samuel in an offseason trade with the San Francisco 49ers and it turned out to be a solid move overall, with the veteran tallying 72 receptions for 727 yards and six total scores in 16 games.
Not great numbers by any stretch, but it's important to point out that Jayden Daniels only played in seven games and Samuel served as the No. 2 when Terry McLaurin was healthy.
As Samuel prepares to hit free agency in 2026, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler notes two issues with the Commanders bringing him back: age and cost.
"The Commanders have been pleased with Samuel's acquisition, as it has led to a team-high 72 catches for 727 yards this season," he wrote. "But he turns 30 in January and could be costly to retain."
An argument in favor of keeping Samuel is the fact that the Commanders don't have much behind McLaurin without him.
On the flip side, with Samuel turning 30 this month, decline is a major concern and paying any semblance of significant money to Samuel and depending on him for a big role could blow up in the Commanders' face.
With McLaurin already 30, Washington needs to get younger at the position, but the team also has to balance trying to compete in 2026 with keeping an eye toward the future.
If Washington does bring Samuel back, it should only be on a one-year deal. From there, Washington should explore its options at wide receiver in the draft to check both necessary boxes at the position.
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