Deebo Samuel Sr. had a down year by his typically elite standards in 2024. Now, he gets the chance to silence his doubters with the Washington Commanders after general manager Adam Peters sacrificed a fifth-round pick to secure his services.
Samuel is an outstanding player. He's got Pro Bowl and All-Pro-caliber production under his belt. He is versatile, physical, and a threat to turn even the smallest completion into a big gain. He should also be highly motivated with a new challenge in a contract year.
The former second-round pick out of South Carolina gave everything to the NFC West squad during his tenure. Samuel left on good terms as the Niners looked to ease their long-term salary-cap burden. That didn't stop some from criticizing the pass-catcher's conditioning during his final campaign in San Francisco.
Conditioning criticism provokes response from new Commanders WR Deebo Samuel
Matt Barrows from The Athletic reported that Samuel came into last season 20 pounds overweight. There were mitigating circumstances attached, but the senior writer stated on Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard's podcast that it's a concern those in power have had with the wide receiver from the moment he joined the franchise.
"I’m not going to say the number, but I asked what was Deebo’s high point weight wise last season and it meshes with what you said a couple of weeks ago. It got really high and there may have been reasons for that. Not able to work out because of pneumonia. Not able to work out because of injuries. But that’s a concern. I think the 49ers had that concern the minute he showed up in Santa Clara in 2019 and it never fully went away."Matt Barrows
This provoked a response from Samuel on social media. He revealed the weight as 225 pounds, which stemmed from a bout with pneumonia. The player also outlined his intent to embrace his fresh challenge and reiterated his appreciation for the Niners despite things fizzling out.
225 to be exact…. Can’t wait till this season start. Fresh start new Bo🥶 https://t.co/d7OBieGoFN
— Deebo (@19problemz) March 3, 2025
"49ers know where I stand with them and it’s nothing but love. Love John and Kyle to death no bad blood no way shape or form. They know I’m more than appreciative of everything they done for me as a player and a man nothing but love."Deebo Samuel Sr.
This works in the Commanders' favor. Samuel hears the criticism coming his way. He's going to have a full offseason of work and the fact he was 214 pounds coming into the league doesn't exactly scream complete neglect regarding his fitness. All reports like this do is add more fuel to his inner fire.
The Commanders might have a steal on their hands. If they can ensure Samuel is at peak performance levels and take care of the wideout over the preparation period this summer, there's nothing to suggest he cannot hit the ground running in 2025. And make no mistake, offensive Kliff Kingsbury will already be devising a strategy to maximize his skills while also keeping him fresh.
Samuel should know what a tremendous opportunity awaits him. The Commanders are on the cusp of something special and he could make a significant difference to their offensive efficiency. The more motivating factors he gets en route to achieving this objective, the better his chances will be.
Peters thought this was a risk worth taking. Samuel needs to repay his faith.