Washington Football Team places WR Curtis Samuel on injured reserve

Samuel will be sidelined for at least three weeks. The former Carolina Panther began training camp on the physically unable to perform list because of a groin injury and was activated last month. 

However, he recently began missing practice due to a flare-up of his groin issue. 

The 25-year-old agreed to a three-year, $34.5 million deal with Washington after four seasons in Carolina. He caught 77 passes last season for a career-high 851 yards and three touchdowns. 

Terry McLaurin and slot receiver Adam Humphries are expected to start for Washington with Samuel sidelined. The rest of the team's receiving group includes Cam Sims, Dyami Brown, Dax Milne, DeAndre Carter and Antonio Gandy-Golden, who is on the practice squad. 

McLaurin has spent the last two seasons with Washington. In 2020, he caught 87 passes for a career-high 1,118 yards and four touchdowns. Humphries, meanwhile, is entering his first season with the franchise after two years with the Tennessee Titans and four with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last season, he had 23 catches for 228 yards and two scores in seven games for the Titans.

Washington opens the 2021 season Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.