This probably wouldn’t be the way Deebo Samuel saw his career winding down, but there are worse ways to spend your time than making millions of dollars living on South Beach .. even if you’re losing a lot of games.
CBS Sports put Samuel on its list of the top remaining free agents available and called the Miami Dolphins the ideal fit for the former NFL All-Pro after his 1 season with the Washington Commanders in 2025.
“The Dolphins entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a massive hole at receiver,” CBS Sports NFL reporter Tyler Sullivan wrote. “While they did come away with three wideouts over the course of the weekend, they came in the third (Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell) and fifth (Kevin Coleman Jr.) rounds, so it’s hardly a guarantee they’ll make an immediate impact. With that in mind, they need a veteran to enter that room, and Samuel could fit the bill. While he does have a lot of mileage on his body and is entering his age-30 season, Samuel continues to be a solid receiver. His 72 receptions in 2025 were the second-highest of his career.”
While the best thing for the Commanders would be to get Samuel back in the fold for 1 more season, his price point is just too high at this point.
He made $17 million in 2025 on a reworked contract, and he has a market projection of a 2-year contract worth approximately $31 million, which seems like a massive overpay.
Commanders Might Have Path to Samuel’s Return
There might still be a path to bringing Samuel back to the Commanders if the market doesn’t turn in his favor.
The team that Samuel seemed most likely to go to in free agency, up until recently, was the Minnesota Vikings, who ended up signing free-agent wide receiver Jauan Jennings to a 1-year, $8 million contract, with incentives that could push it to $13 million.
Jennings’ deal with the Vikings raises a couple of questions. First, why didn’t the Commanders go after Jennings at that amount?
Second, could the Commanders sign Samuel to a similar deal like the 1 Jennings signed with the Vikings for 2026? If so, they should.
Unfortunate Timing for Samuel in Washington
When the Commanders sent the San Francisco 49ers a 5th-round pick for Samuel before the 2025 season, it was hoping he would be 1 of the final pieces on a Super Bowl contender. The reason they got him at such a bargain was that Samuel seemed overweight and unmotivated in 2024 — questions he put to rest when he showed up fit and ready to produce for the Commanders.
Samuel finished with 802 yards of total offense and 6 touchdowns, but rarely got to play alongside the 2 players he was brought in to help the most. Quarterback Jayden Daniels missed 10 games due to injuries, while McLaurin missed a career-high 7 games.
Getting to see what Samuel could do with a healthy Daniels and McLaurin alongside him might be worth the price of admission in 2026. It would also be a great opportunity for Samuel to serve as a mentor to promising rookie wide receiver Antonio Williams, a 3rd-round pick (No. 71 overall), who has a similar build (5-foot-11 and 195 pounds) and skill set to Samuel.
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