Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters had a busy opening to his offseason, handing out contracts left and right.
Having agreed to terms with eight players before most woke up on Tuesday morning, Washington had set the pace for free agency, using its surplus of cap space to fill out a roster in need of both competent starters and game-changers, though they may have to wait for the No. 2 pick for a player that will truly change their fortunes.
However, there are also holes to fill from free-agent departures, including receiver Curtis Samuel.
On Monday night, Nate Taylor responded to an inquiry about the Kansas City Chiefs possibly signing a free-agent pass-catcher.
“You might want to start watching film of Darnell Mooney or Curtis Samuel,” he replied.
Soon after, Mooney struck a three-year, $39 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons, leaving Samuel as the perceived favorite to get a deal done.
Samuel, who was projected to sign a two-year, $17 million deal by Pro Football Focus, performed well in 2023. He caught 62 of 91 targets for 613 yards and four touchdowns, adding another score on the ground. Almost by default, he would be an upgrade for Kansas City, who won back-to-back Super Bowls without meaningful impacts from the receiving corps.
Of course, signings won’t become official until the legal tampering period ends on Wednesday, but the vast majority of these agreements do follow through.
The Commanders had already made improvements to their offense during this window, adding center Tyler Biadasz and guard Nick Allegretti to a suboptimal offensive line. After running back Antonio Gibson and tight end Logan Thomas were sent searching for new homes, they were “replaced” with Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz, respectively.
While Ekeler may increase the target share Washington applies to its running back position in 2024, there is still a legitimate hole to fill by Samuel’s presumed departure. His speed, versatility, and after-the-catch prowess were simple ways to create explosive plays and a boon to any young quarterback.
Expect the Commanders to address this with a minor move in free agency or a mid-to-late-round draft pick come April.
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