The Washington Commanders are going to strengthen their wide receiver room this offseason. Looking at the resources at Adam Peters' disposal, nothing should be off the table.
Washington has just Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey under contract right now. Several of the team's wideouts are free agents and not everyone will come back. But given the money tied up in the second-team All-Pro with the promise of more on the way, it'll be interesting to see how many resources are allocated to the position group when the recruitment period commences.
Peters will have a strategy in place. He's got significant financial resources and seven draft selections. The Commanders aren't going to spend just for the sake of it, but the general manager should be more aggressive after Washington defied the odds to reach the NFC Championship game.
Speculation continues to rise about the prospect of acquiring wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. He's closely connected to Peters from their time together on the San Francisco 49ers. The versatile weapon's been permitted to seek a trade, although finding a willing suitor considering how his contract is structured won't be easy.
The Commanders would be reluctant to give up draft assets and take on Samuel's lofty salary. If the Niners ended up releasing the former South Carolina standout, the possibility becomes more realistic.
Commanders tipped to acquire Deebo Samuel for their No. 2 receiver role
Add Matt Harmon from Yahoo Sports to the list of analysts who think Samuel will end up in Washington. He believes the prolific pass-catcher would be a good scheme fit with the Commanders. His previous connection to Peters only sweetens the pot.
"The Commanders have too much cap space and too much urgency to maximize the offense around a great young quarterback to not add a big-name receiver. Shot in the dark here, but they’re one of the few teams that could make sense for Deebo Samuel Sr. Adam Peters was in the 49ers' front office, Samuel could find a role in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense and most importantly, they could inherit his contract."Matt Harmon
Samuel had a down year by his typically high standards in 2024. A fresh start is needed for both parties. Washington must figure out whether his slump was a blip as the Niners failed to meet expectations or the start of something more concerning.
The All-Pro has dynamic dual-threat traits that Kliff Kingsbury could scheme effectively around. Samuel is a nice compliment to McLaurin and is a player capable of getting open for quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels to utilize.
Washington wouldn't be alone in converting Samuel, especially if he hits the open market. He's an explosive pass-catcher with high-caliber credentials. This sort of win-now move fits into the Commanders' Super Bowl window with two years left until Daniels becomes eligible for a contract extension.
Peters knows how important this recruitment period is for the Commanders. They have a tremendous chance to build on a campaign for the ages. Whether it's Samuel or someone else, the front-office leader must find a legitimate No. 2 receiver to pair with McLaurin.
There's growing momentum between the Commanders and Samuel. Whether it becomes something more concrete is the million-dollar question nobody knows the answer to currently.