Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Deebo Samuel remains available at a potentially affordable price as training camps approach.
- His stated belief in a three-to-four year window has teams weighing short-term gains against long-term roster building.
- Four franchises face clear receiving room deficiencies that could dramatically shift their offensive outlook with one targeted addition.
NFL fans are poking their favorite teams who are wanting at the wide receiver position and telling them to "do something." Names like Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill and Keenan Allen are still available ahead of training camps but their price tags could be what are keeping squads from calling. Another name they might consider is Deebo Samuel. The 30-year-old posted 727 receiving yards, 159 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns for the Washington Commanders in 2025 and could be a bargain bin asset. If you ask him, though, he's operating on a longer timeline than just a rental.
"[I] still feel like I got a lot, at least like three, four good years left," he said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. "It's kind of been tough, not even going to lie to you. All the free agency stuff going on, waking up in the morning, looking at your phone, seeing if your agent hit you and was like, 'This team is interested,' or things along those lines. And it's been kind of like a roller coaster."
With a projected price tag $15.7 million, Samuel might have to accept an incentive-laden deal to get back onto an NFL roster. That's not hard to accomplish but the right team has to make the offer. Samuel could have his choice of contenders and rebuild projects depending on how he views his time and skills best being employed.
Los Angeles Chargers
New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is one of the most innovative minds in the game but even he isn't going to turn Ladd McConkey or Quentin Johnson into a true WR1. QB Justin Herbert deserves a versatile weapon like Samuel who can operate out of the backfield and in the slot, forcing opposing defenses to commit a spy. With a backfield that already features Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal, it'll be impossible to determine which direction the ball heads on a play action.
McDaniel should be begging head coach Jim Harbaugh to bring in Samuel so Los Angeles can operate on a wide receiver by committee approach. Sure, a bigger name like Diggs or Hill or even reuniting with Allen might be more desirable but if there was a true need for one of them, they'd already be signed. Once training camp gets underway, it'll become painfully obvious the Chargers need someone like Samuel on the team.
Las Vegas Raiders
The rebuild is on and if Samuel isn't considered a worthy investment by a contender, he could get his wish to play three or four more years with developing QB Fernando Mendoza. At the moment the Heisman Trophy winner has only Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech to work with on top of tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. Kirk Cousins is also expected to start the 2026 campaign under center and he will probably want a more veteran presence in the receiver room.
Samuel offers the versatility to make Las Vegas' offense a surprise breakout candidate. If Mendoza lives up to his first overall pick expectations, he could elevate guys like Tucker, Nailor and Bech while finding a dangerous safety valve option in Samuel. Having defenders key in on the former Commander would free up running back Ashton Jeanty to exploit the parts of the field that inevitably get left open. Of course, this is all contingent on the offensive line holding up but there isn't any reason to believe (for now) that it won't.
Indianapolis Colts
Alec Pierce is back, but Michael Pittman Jr. is gone. Daniel Jones cannot be expected to rely on Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin to pick up that slack. Nor can he just lean on running back Jonathan Taylor because despite his MVP-like talents, he's prone to being stuffed at the line of scrimmage once it's obvious the Colts' passing game is compromised. Adding Samuel reduces that likelihood.
Head coach Shane Steichen loves the screen. It's a play that paid dividends for the team when Pittman was there and it could be plug-and-play situation for Samuel. If he masters that section of the playbook for Indianapolis, imagine what that offense would look like if both he and Taylor were employed on jet sweeps. Rushing into 2026 with this offense expecting to repeat the miracle 8-2 start from last year is naive -- and Samuel won't guarantee it either -- but there's a much greater chance they get close to it with Samuel on the roster than not.
Los Angeles Rams
It feels like Super Bowl or bust for this occupant of SoFi Stadium after acquiring Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns and the expectation Aaron Donald will come out of retirement. QB Matthew Stafford already has Davante Adams and Puka Nacua to dominate opposing secondaries, but adding Samuel would make for a downright deadly trio. Also, in the event Nacua is unavailable for any amount of time, the new addition would provide some stability in the long run.
New offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase is already an expert at the team's passing game so if there's anyone who can best evaluate how to fit Samuel, it would be him. You can't seriously believe there wouldn't be an effective use for the Rams' old headache when he played for the rival San Francisco 49ers. Even if he's on a snap count, there are packages where he'd frustrate defenses and be the perfect safety valve for Stafford in a pinch.
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