Deebo Samuel Sr. performed well in difficult circumstances for the Washington Commanders last season. The wide receiver had to shoulder a heavier burden than expected, and he displayed the correct resolve when things started to crumble around him.
That wasn't enough for a new deal from the Commanders. And the league is also sending him a surprising message with training camp on the not-too-distant horizon.
Samuel was expected to draw interest in free agency. Bringing him back to Washington wasn't completely ruled out, but general manager Adam Peters hasn't done so yet. Nobody else has taken the plunge either, leaving his hopes of another lucrative payday in tatters.
Deebo Samuel is staruing at a career crossroads after Commanders departure
This is typically the time when rosters are pretty much set before intensity ramps up over the summer. Samuel is still waiting, and that may remain the case unless injury strikes elsewhere at this stage.
It's not what Samuel was anticipating.
He was looking forward to his first real taste of free agency, eager to embrace the experience before choosing his next destination. The former South Carolina playmaker still managed 802 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns last season. More importantly, he kept himself in good shape and was durable.
And yet, no offer worth taking has arrived.
Samuel's ego is no doubt bruised. There is a good chance he will be on a team before Week 1, but just where that will be is anyone's guess now. It may also be nothing more than a one-year, prove-it deal, when most projections before the legal tampering window anticipated a multi-year commitment.
Talk about a gut punch.
Anyone who watched Samuel last season knows he can still play. The days of All-Pro-caliber production might be behind him, but he's a useful complementary piece who can provide relief in the short to intermediate areas of the field.
Maybe he's looking for a contender, or maybe his representatives misread the market. Either way, things are more precarious now than they were at the start of free agency.
As for the Commanders? They also have questions to answer in their receiver room.
Terry McLaurin is the only sure thing. Most around the NFL believe Brandon Aiyuk will arrive at some stage, but he's missed a lot of football. Someone lower down the depth chart could step up, but a lack of execution during Washington's mandatory minicamp only heightens the urgency for more.
Those plans are unlikely to include Samuel, unless there is a drastic change of course. And the longer he remains on the proverbial scrapheap, the louder this message from the NFL becomes.
It'll be interesting to see what the future holds for Samuel. But it is not the free-agent frenzy he was expecting.
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