Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel (1). Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Deebo Samuel says one key thing has to be done before Commanders face Packers

Originally posted on Washington Commanders on SI
By Caleb Skinner | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 7:00 AM ET

First-year Washington Commander wideout Deebo Samuel has had a solid career before being dealt to the DMV this offseason. He needed a new start, and got that with the contending Commanders and star quarterback Jayden Daniels.

It didn't take long for Samuel to get acclimated to his new offense, catching seven passes on ten targets for 77 yards along with one rush for 19 yards and a touchdown.

Samuel was featured early and often in the Commanders' 21-6 win over the New York Giants. The Commanders and Samuel will now look to turn things around quickly with a matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football. With not much time to prepare, the one thing Samuel points towards is just getting as healthy as possible.

Health is the Priority on a Short Week

"The main thing is to get as healthy as you can for the quick week. Not too much going to be full speed, and I think [Head Coach] "DQ" [Dan Quinn] does a great job of taking care of the guys and giving the guys enough time to recover and get their body right," Samuel told the media. "So, like I just stated, we got a short week. Just take care of our bodies and just getting ready for Thursday."

A 'Fairly Unscathed' Roster

The Commanders didn't practice on Monday, the day after their NFC East win over the Giants, but they did have some players show up on the injury report, including Daniels with a wrist injury.

While Daniels and a handful of others showed up on the injury report, it was reported that they would have practiced if practice were to be held. This news is good for the Commanders, showing they came out of Sunday's Week 1 game fairly unscathed as they look toward a lofty NFC opponent in the Packers, who just acquired one of the best pass rushers in the league in Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys.

Health is the key to surviving a long NFL regular season, and it's great to see Samuel and the rest of the team noticing the importance of it if they hope to make their goals of reaching and winning a Super Bowl a reality.