The Washington Commanders didn't bring back wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. this offseason. They had their reasons, but the former South Carolina standout had to wait through the summer before the San Francisco 49ers ended his exile.
One could have forgiven Samuel for looking forward to making Washington pay when they clash with the Niners on Monday Night Football in Week 6.
Unfortunately, those dreams were dashed by a cruel injury blow at the worst possible time.
Commanders won't have to worry about any Deebo Samuel revenge element in Week 6
Samuel went down hard during San Francisco's impressive win over the Seattle Seahawks. The concern was evident, and head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that the versatile pass-catcher will miss multiple weeks with a hamstring issue.
This further depletes a receiving corps already without Ricky Pearsall,
De'Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, and Christian Kirk. That's a lot of firepower to be without, but the Niners still have plenty of weapons who can torment the Commanders on prime time.
Still, this will be disappointing for Samuel.
He'd made a decent start to life back in San Francisco. Samuel knew the scheme, so he transitioned smoothly into Shanahan's system. While he is not the All-Pro-caliber performer of old, he is a useful complementary piece who must always be accounted for.
And he was probably eager to get one over on the Commanders, who cast him aside without much fanfare attached this offseason.
Commanders have much bigger problems than Deebo Samuel to worry about
Samuel actually played pretty well in difficult circumstances. The Commanders secured his services in a trade with the Niners, giving up a fifth-round pick. He far outperformed that, but without quarterback Jayden Daniels or wide receiver Terry McLaurin alongside him for most of the campaign, the team fell flat.
The fact that Samuel waited so long for his next opportunity in free agency was surprising. He had more than enough to offer, and he admitted the whole experience wasn't what he expected.
Everything worked out alright in the end. And even though he won't get the chance to face Washington, being out for just a few weeks gives him a fighting chance of helping this Super Bowl challenger at the business end of the campaign.
For the Commanders, it's one fewer concern to counteract.
But the stakes are high after an inexplicable tie with the New York Giants.
Head coach Dan Quinn needs a positive response. The Commanders are teetering, and their complete mismanagement of a final play sequence made them a national laughingstock. Pressure is building, and though calls for change went unanswered, the margin for error is rapidly shrinking.
The Niners won't be doing Quinn any favors. They are riding on the crest of a wave at 5-0, emerging as a legitimate heavyweight despite their own injury issues. Samuel has played an important role, but he won't get the chance to show the Commanders what they're missing.
That only helps Washington's chances of a massive upset. But honestly, they've got much bigger problems to worry about.
And with the bye week in sight, they have to provide fans with some encouragement.
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