The Washington Commanders entered the offseason knowing where their two biggest roster holes were - receiver and left tackle.
Not one for sitting on his hands, general manager Adam Peters went straight to work in the weeks following the Super Bowl, and the franchise traded for five-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil and All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel.
With draft picks not too important this time around for Washington (holding just five now, compared to 10 a year ago), the franchise is pushing all the chips into the middle of the table.
While some were scratching their heads at why the Commanders got Samuel for only a fifth-round draft pick, Deebo is due just over $17 million in 2025. That's why.
The San Francisco 49ers clearly wanted Samuel's salary off the books.
Still, NFL.com's Kevin Patra likes the move, giving it a B+ grade.
“Deebo Samuel's fit in Washington is legit,” Patra writes. “He might be coming off a down season, but he can still gobble up YAC. Commanders coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's love of screens and getting his playmakers in space should be a boon, setting up a potential bounce-back season for Deebo.
"Taking on Samuel's big $17.46 million cap figure for 2024 and giving up a pick dings the grade slightly for Washington, but another playmaker for Jayden Daniels was never going to come cheap."
Samuel is a one-year rental for the Commanders, and they are hoping that he can rediscover his All-Pro form that saw him be a monster as a receiver and runner to the point where he was nearly unstoppable.
Being in Kliff Kingsbury's offense along with Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin, what Samuel could do for Washington in both the run and pass game is exciting for fans.
The fit ... is legit.
Yes, the $17 million could be considered steep, but for a team that sees itself as a genuine contender, if a Super Bowl is acquired, then it is money well-spent, and we imagine the grade will get a nice little bump up too.
