Deebo Samuel stuns fans with unexpected praise for overlooked Commanders veteran

Deebo Samuel Sr. has been in the headlines a lot since his trade to the Washington Commanders. The wide receiver is working tirelessly to silence his doubters, but that hasn't stopped him from being blown away by one of his new teammates along the way.

Samuel's been the subject of unnecessary and unwarranted criticism. His supposed conditioning issues continue to rear their head despite the former second-round pick working tirelessly to improve his craft this offseason. He's constantly trying to get better, and the Commanders are suitably impressed by what they've seen from the versatile offensive weapon so far.

He's also taking note of what the Commanders have around him in the wide receiver room. There were some absentees from Washington's offseason program at various stages, but that didn't stop Samuel from noticing the supreme route-running credentials that Noah Brown brings to the table.

Deebo Samuel had high praise for Commanders' teammate Noah Brown

Samuel was filmed praising Brown's route-running prowess during a recent session with Route God, a notorious trainer of wide receivers during the offseason. He wasn't asked about the Ohio State product specifically, so this glowing reference cannot be seen as anything other than positive from the Commanders' perspective.

Brown was a fantastic addition to the ranks last season. He got open consistently, became a decent deep threat for rookie quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels, and drew defensive pass interference penalties at will. Of course, nobody will forget his Hail Mary touchdown catch against the Chicago Bears, but his contribution went way beyond that.

The Commanders gave Brown another one-year deal this offseason despite coming off kidney surgery. They believe he's still got a lot of good football left, but there remains some uncertainty about his status for training camp after he was carted off early into Washington's mandatory minicamp.

Reports suggest it's not too serious, although nothing has been confirmed by the team. The Commanders need Brown fit and firing on all cylinders for the upcoming campaign. And based on how positive Samuel was regarding his credentials, his role will be pivotal once again.

There is a nice blend of youth and experience in Washington's wideout unit. If Brown, Samuel, and Terry McLaurin all reach expectations, this has the makings of a highly productive trio within Kliff Kingsbury's schematic concepts.

And the more route aficionados Washington has for Daniels to depend upon, the better their chances will be.