One of the top pending free agents for the Washington Commanders this offseason is wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Because of injuries, Samuel was easily the most reliable target in the passing game last season and he showed he’s still got some gas left in the tank after many had predicted his career demise going into 2025.
But with general manager Adam Peters’ mandate to get younger and faster, re-signing a 30-year-old wide receiver might not be in the cards.
If not, YardBarker’s Seth Trachtman predicts Samuel will wind up with the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency.
“Samuel performed well in a disappointing season for Washington with 802 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns, but it remains to be seen if he will return,” he said. “The Raiders are among the teams desperate for wideout help, as the team looks to support likely No. 1 overall draft choice Fernando Mendoza.”
The Raiders are at the top of the list of teams that need a wide receiver, and that’s especially true with Fernando Mendoza expected to land in Las Vegas in April as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Las Vegas has an elite playmaker in tight end Brock Bowers, but the wide receivers room is a mess and Bowers needs more help.
The first years of Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton were bad, so the jury is still out on both, and the most proven receiver in the group who is under contract is Tre Tucker, who is a No. 3 wide receiver, at best.
That’s simply not enough to provide support for tight end Brock Bowers.
Samuel isn’t the No. 1 wideout the Raiders need, but he’s still a good No. 2 and signing him would be a strong start toward a much-needed revamp in Vegas.
Samuel is also an ideal fit for a young quarterback, as he’s a yards-after-catch monster in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field.
Spotrac estimates Samuel’s next contract at a two-year, $26 million deal, which will be no problem for a Raiders team that is loaded with $91.5 million in cap space.
Ideally, the Raiders sign Samuel to a two-year deal with an out in the second year just in case he hits a wall.
In the mean time, the Raiders can continue looking for more permanent solutions at the position while Samuel bridges the gap.
