The Washington Commanders will have no shortage of holes to fill this offseason. One of them will be complementing Terry McLaurin in the receiving game.
For the Commanders, there could be a strong candidate hiding right in plain sight.
The Commanders' contract with Deebo Samuel Sr. has now voided. It doesn't change much, as the 2026 dead cap will be there whether he re-signs or not. However, it seems unlikely that the former San Francisco 49er will be back in Washington on a new deal.
In this scenario, the Commanders need to find an adequate replacement. Washington should look for someone younger who is less of a name but more of a player. The ideal target might be a wideout who's already well familiar with life in the NFC East.
Commanders projected to replace Deebo Samuel with Wan'Dale Robinson in free agency
Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut posted free agency predictions for some of the league's top wide receiver options. The analyst had Washington making the bold acquisition of Wan'Dale Robinson, who is coming off a stellar campaign with the New York Giants.
"We’re expecting the Washington Commanders to splurge this offseason, using the 2026 NFL Draft to reinforce Dan Quinn’s defense while bringing in immediate contributors to support Jayden Daniels in NFL free agency. Wan’Dale Robinson, coming off a 1,000-yard campaign, is an excellent slot receiver who averaged 7.2 yards per target in 2025 and excels at creating early separation. He’ll complement Terry McLaurin nicely and allow Washington to use that top-10 pick on an edge rusher."Matt Johnson, Sportsnaut
Coming off a breakout season, Robinson will be one of the most coveted free agents in the class. He is projected to be worth $17.64 million per season on a four-year, $70.56 million deal, according to Spotrac. This ranks only behind George Pickens, Jauan Jennings, and Alec Pierce among free agents, and ahead of Samuel.
General manager Adam Peters should be willing to take that risk.
The Commanders have $74.55 million in cap space, the fifth-most in the league. They could take this figure above $100 million with additional moves. Even after winning only five games in 2025, they need to operate as a team that expects to compete for a return to the playoffs. This is Peters' window to spend lots of money while quarterback Jayden Daniels is still on his rookie contract.
The only issue with Robinson is that the Commanders will not be the only team eager for his services. Washington is no longer as attractive a destination as it was a year ago, putting Peters at a disadvantage.
But he's worth a shot.