Deebo Samuel Sr. is still waiting for either the right offer or the right fit to arrive in free agency. The Washington Commanders have seemingly moved on from the wide receiver after just one season, but the fact that he is still sitting on the veteran market is somewhat surprising.
Samuel might be biding his time. This is his first taste of free agency since entering the league, so everything is new. There is also a chance he comes back to Washington at the right price, but he was not a high priority for general manager Adam Peters.
Just where Samuel will end up is anyone's guess at this point. However, Bill Barnwell of ESPN thought he may have found a dream match with a leading contender.
ESPN analyst names dream Deebo Samuel destination with Commanders return unlikely
The respected national analyst thought the Denver Broncos made perfect sense for Samuel. Barnwell pointed to the scheme fit, Sean Payton's success with players like this in the past, and the overall strength of their wide receiver room as reasons the AFC West club should consider the possibility.
"[Deebo] Samuel is a dream fit for the Broncos' offense, where Bo Nix wants to get the ball out quickly when he has a numbers advantage or throw the ball on digs and deep crossers off play-action. Samuel would be a rugged addition who offers more physicality than just about anybody in that mix. He could also be a useful runner for coach Sean Payton as a changeup in short yardage or near the goal line, where Nix is often used on sneaks and designed runs."
The Broncos only have $22 million in available salary-cap space right now. There is a chance this could change with additional sacrifices, but Payton seems pretty happy with what he has. And if quarterback Bo Nix hadn't gotten hurt in the playoffs, they might have gone all the way in 2025.
That wasn't to be, but the Broncos are ready to win right now. That makes Samuel an intriguing option, and the South Carolina product might even be willing to settle for a little less financially to join this exciting project.
Samuel is right to take his time. He silenced doubters in Washington last season as all around him crumbled. The focus, conditioning, and production all remain solid. The All-Pro isn't getting any younger, but he still proved highly useful in the right fit for at least the next couple of years.
And if he did end up in Denver, that would get them a lot closer to assuming command of their entire AFC.