The NFL trade deadline came and went, and to the surprise of many, the Washington Commanders weren't big sellers. After their 3-6 start, as well as the elbow injury to Jayden Daniels, many thought Washington would sell off older names such as Zach Ertz and Bobby Wagner.
One additional name that was expected to be as good as gone was wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Washington acquired the versatile receiver back in March in an effort to load up on talent to help push the roster that made the NFC Championship Game in 2024 over the top and make a run at the Super Bowl.
Samuel has played well, all things considered. He's caught 42 passes and three touchdowns in eight games, and has an additional score on the ground. However, he will turn 30 in January and is set to be a free agent next season. So why did the Commanders hold onto him?
Why Washington Commanders kept Deebo Samuel
The most likely reason that Washington held onto Samuel is due to the injuries and lack of depth they have at the position. Terry McLaurin has played in just four games this season, and the remainder of the Commanders' wide receivers haven't impressed. Outside of Samuel and tight end Zach Ertz, the next-leading wide receiver on the roster is Jaylin Lane with 14 catches. Luke McCaffrey was a name that many had hopes for entering the season, but he just suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after catching just 11 passes. Chris Moore has eight catches, Robbie Chosen has four (and the fact that his name is even being mentioned should tell you where this team is at in terms of pass-catchers).
Dan Quinn made note of the injuries and how challenging it is to fill spots due to the list of players who are hurt.
"Quinn said (again) that the tough part with the injuries was how hard they hit certain positions: DE and WR," John Keim reports. "Makes it more challenging to fill spots; impacts continuity. Also said about injuries that have to find the right plan and have the right mindset."
If the Commanders had traded Samuel, their already-bad receiving corps would easily be the worst in the NFL by a wide margin. Considering that an official ruling on Jayden Daniels hasn't come out yet, perhaps Washington remains hopeful that he won't miss the rest of the season and are going to try their best to stay afloat with Marcus Mariota. If Daniels is able to play again, the Commanders likely believe that the potential of making a playoff push outweighs the Day Three pick they would have gotten in exchange for Samuel.
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