The Seattle Seahawks haven’t been afraid to bring in a former NFC West rival’s former player. Seattle signed veteran wideout Cooper Kupp after his exit from the Los Angeles Rams, and now could the Seahawks do it again with another player?
Recently, FOX Sports’ Ben Arthur wrote that the Seahawks are an ideal fit for former San Francisco 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel. Last season with the Washington Commanders, Samuel played a total of 713 snaps (479 pass snaps and 234 run snaps), resulting in a 69.4 overall PFF grade.
Moreover, he recorded 72 receptions on 99 targets for 727 receiving yards and five touchdowns while averaging 10.1 yards per reception and generating 471 yards after the catch. Meanwhile, in the running game, the veteran wideout had 17 carries for 75 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and averaged 4.4 yards per carry.
When it comes to Samuel potentially being a fit for Seattle, KNBR’s Larry Krueger also agrees the veteran wideout would make sense for the Seahawks for one major reason.
“Obviously, there’s a connection between Samuel and the coaching staff. Brian Fleury is the offensive coordinator,” Krueger said on the May 25 edition of “The Krueg Show.” “Samuel and Fleury were in San Francisco together, including Samuel’s first-team All-Pro season in 2021, and Fleury knows him well.
What Would Deebo Samuel Bring to the Seahawks?
Furthermore, Krueger believes Samuel would bring traits that complement Seattle’s current wideout group.
“Samuel is tough, and if you have a wide receiver corps, it has to complement one another,“ Krueger added.
“If you have a speedster like the Seahawks do in Rashid Shaheed, a player who can make plays downfield and help on special teams, and you also have a route-running specialist like JSN or Cooper Kupp who can tie corners up with precise route running, that changes things.
“Samuel gives you a return option as a kick returner and also a useful short-yardage back, a player who can run the ball if he commits to a combined runner-receiver role.”
The Seahawks have already dipped into the free-agent market to sign a veteran, Dante Fowler Jr., who had a connection to the current defensive coordinator, Aden Durde. It would be interesting to see if Seattle decides to double down and grab someone like Samuel, given his past with offensive coordinator Brian Fleury.
Deebo Samuel Needs to Come Motivated to His Next Team
Moreover, Krueger states that if Samuel were to come in motivated and with a chip on his shoulder, the Seahawks could have an impact player who could play a major role in helping them repeat as Super Bowl champions.
“If he commits to any kind of a combo runner-receiver role, he’s powerful,“ Krueger said. “He’s a powerful runner. If he’s in shape, he gives them a guy who’s not going to fumble. His last year with the Commanders was steady. It wasn’t great, but he finished the year with 72 catches for 727 yards and five touchdowns.
“It was the fourth consecutive year, by the way, that he failed to surpass 900 receiving yards. His best year was 2021, when he had more than 1,700 yards from scrimmage and scored 14 touchdowns.”
Seahawks Issued Clear Message Amid Deebo Samuel Speculation