Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel against the Philadelphia Eagles. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Deebo Samuel Free Agency Decision Could Define Commanders' Offseason

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jan 22, 2026 9:00 AM ET

The Washington Commanders are going into free agency with a big decision to make in regards to wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

Samuel was acquired in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers almost a year ago, but the dividends did not pay off for Washington. After reaching the NFC championship a year ago, the team struggled and won only five games in 2025. Now the Commanders face a difficult decision with Samuel in free agency.

"The Commanders have been pleased with Samuel's acquisition, as it has led to a team-high 72 catches for 727 yards this season. But he turns 30 in January and could be costly to retain," ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler wrote.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Samuel Free Agency Should Puzzle Commanders

The Commanders brought in Samuel to be the number two wide receiver behind Terry McLaurin, who signed a long-term extension with the team during training camp. The problem with that was McLaurin could not get healthy this season. He was dealing with a quad injury for most of the year, and Samuel became the de facto number one wideout in the offense.

On top of that, quarterback Jayden Daniels was also dealing with injuries, and he was on the sidelines for most of the year as well. Therefore, the vision that general manager Adam Peters had before the season began could not come into fruition.

The Commanders owe it to themselves to consider giving Samuel another shot, but he is going to have several teams interested in him in free agency, some of which would offer a considerable amount of money to bring him into the fold. The Commanders need to decide for themselves if Samuel is worth that price.

The Commanders likely have a number in mind in which they will pay Samuel for the upcoming season, but there might be other alternatives that cost less, prompting Washington to move in a different direction.