Deebo Samuel Sr. was excited about his first free agency in the NFL. The Washington Commanders opted not to bring the wide receiver back, but reports suggested he would have a hot market after a decent year.
Samuel got a rude awakening.
The Commanders looked elsewhere, and so has everyone else so far. Despite the difficult situation, the versatile offensive weapon is confident he can still be an asset when his next opportunity arrives.
And he made that crystal clear amid mounting speculation about his uncertain status.
"It's kind of been tough, not even going to lie to you. With me and how I play this game, it's just like, no matter what I'm going through, no matter what I'm doing, if I'm able to perform, I'm going to go out there and put it on the line for my team.
"Some people ask like, 'Are you ready to hang it up?' And I'm like, nah, everything's got timing. So I promise you when the time come, it's going to come. And I'm overly prepared, overly ready for the moment. And whenever that right opportunity show up, we here first, man. I'm ready to rock out."
This was a rallying cry to teams who are still on the fence. Things have not gone as Samuel had hoped up to now, and there was a sense of desperation about the tone of his comments with only a few short weeks remaining until the regular season begins.
It's a harsh situation. Samuel played well last season, certainly well enough to be signed by now. Perhaps it's his age or the punishment he has taken throughout his career, but he stayed in shape throughout 2025 and remained focused amid turbulent times.
Is Samuel going to be an All-Pro again? Probably not, but that doesn't mean he cannot be useful in the right fit as a complementary piece within a system that plays to his strengths.
Just where that will be is anyone's guess.
Samuel was reportedly keen on a move back to the San Francisco 49ers, but the interest was one-sided. He'd be a good fit for any contender, especially the Los Angeles Rams, if he were willing to take a little less financially. And any team with a young quarterback in need of a security blanket would benefit greatly from the South Carolina product's presence.
Yet nothing worth signing has come his way.
The longer this situation goes, the more worried Samuel may become. He believes there is a lot more to give, but when the league looks the other way, that is the end of the matter.
Samuel is a long way from that, of course. He should get picked up at some point, but it already appears that some concessions will be made regarding his role and the money he's playing for.
And that is not what he envisaged upon entering the free-agent frenzy.
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