The first chess piece of the offseason board has moved, as the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Commanders have struck a deal, sending wide receiver Deebo Samuel from the Bay Area to the DMV for a fifth-round pick.
Samuel’s exit from the 49ers was long expected for his trade request earlier this offseason. San Francisco’s General Manager John Lynch confirmed at the NFL combine that Samuel’s request would be honored, making the move no surprise. However, his arrival in Washington could add more fiery flairs to the NFC, especially after the Commanders’ deep playoff run in the rookie season of Jayden Daniels.
The rookie quarterback showed major excitement on his Instagram story reposting the news from ESPN and tagging the wide receiver commenting “Let’s work” with a strong arm emoji.
Although the Commanders had such a historic season, it was no secret that they needed a strong yet reliable receiver option alongside Terry McLaurin, and Samuel is a perfect fit for that role. While McLaurin posted his fifth straight 1,000 yard season, no other Washington receiver came close to hitting that mark.
With veteran tight end Zach Ertz set for free agency and wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus managing 506 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games, Samuel is set to become the team’s second-most targeted weapon.
Samuel has shown to be a solid fit for Washington, as he brings a winning mentality from his time with the 49ers and knows how to make deep playoff runs. With his contract up in 2026, the former second-round pick is motivated to prove himself even more. While concerns linger over his down year and injury history, if he transforms those reservations into ambitious determination, then the Commanders will have a major asset on their hands.
On a financial note, some fans were initially skeptical of this trade. However, once the details were released, speculations changed positively.
The Commanders showed that they were well-positioned for this move, as they entered the trade with the NFL’s third-highest cap space and star quarterback still on his rookie deal. With this in mind and the fact that the Commanders only acquired him for a fifth round pick, they will owe $17.46 million of Samuel’s salary in 2025, which is considered a manageable sum with $16.46 million in cap savings from defensive lineman Jonathan Allen’s pending departure. This gives Washington the opportunity to make a long-term investment in Samuel.
Beyond the numbers, this trade brings Samuel back under the watchful eye of Commanders General Manager Adam Peters, who was instrumental in drafting him to the 49ers in 2019. With Peters’ firsthand insight on Samuel’s skill set, he’s most likely going to be a seamless fit in Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.
This trade ahead of the 2025-26 will become official on Tuesday, March 12 and will have fans raising hail with positive reassurance for the upcoming season.