Deebo’s New Chapter
Getting Deebo for just a fifth-round pick is a very nice start for this team’s plan to go deeper.
Free agency hasn’t even started, and the NFL news is already sharing some big transactions. Over the weekend, the Washington Commanders agreed to trade a fifth-round pick for Deebo Samuel from the 49ers to acquire what should be their No. 2 wideout for the 2025 season.
The deal is not official until the new league year begins (March 12), but NFL rumors suggest it will stick. Samuel already posted a message with a highlight video on his Instagram for 49ers fans. “Appreciate yall for everything!!!!!” was the caption.
Deebo Samuel just posted this on his IG 🫡 pic.twitter.com/NuCgo986i4
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) March 1, 2025
The Commanders’ X/Twitter page celebrated with a GIF of the “Deebo” character from the film Friday (1995).
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) March 1, 2025
Current NFC Odds
We know everyone is chasing the Eagles in the NFC, but the Commanders were the only team to beat them since October, and they may have stood a real chance in the NFC Championship Game if they didn’t lose three fumbles.
According to BetUS, these are the latest NFL betting odds for winning the NFC conference next season:
- Eagles (+300)
- Lions (+450)
- 49ers (+750)
- Commanders (+850)
This move can help the Commanders close the gap.
How the Deebo Trade Helps Washington
One can acknowledge that Deebo Samuel had a down year for the 49ers in 2024. Deebo Samuel’s stats last year show career lows in yards per touch (8.7) and receiving yards per game (44.7).
You can also acknowledge he was one of the many San Francisco 49ers playing through injury, and that he’s still a very unique talent with some of the best YAC skills (pure strength) the game has ever seen from his position.
When he last faced the Eagles in 2023, Samuel had 138 total yards and 3 touchdowns in a 42-19 rout. The Eagles have won all of their other NFL games at home against playoff opponents since 2022 except the day Deebo owned their defense:
Eagles fans laugh at the Commanders getting Deebo…
But the fact is this man BTA’d them single-handedly one season ago 🤷♂️
We’re here for this rivalry 🍿 pic.twitter.com/oZaJxcW4P1
— DC Sports Experience (@DCsportsXP) March 2, 2025
He’s an exciting player, and he only has to be a No. 2 wide receiver in Washington after Terry McLaurin had a career year. That’s also the other reason this is such an interesting move.
You cannot discount the Jayden Daniels factor. Even as a rookie, he elevated the talent around him so well in leading the team one game shy of the Super Bowl:
- McLaurin set career highs almost across the board, including 13 touchdown catches.
- A 34-year-old Zach Ertz had a receiving success rate of 63.7%, his first season over 60% in his career.
- Olamide Zaccheaus had a career-high 70.3% catch rate.
- In four years, Dyami Brown had one career game with 60 receiving yards before having 89 and 98 yards in back-to-back road playoff wins.
If you’re taking targets away from players like Zaccheaus, Browns, and an older Ertz to give them to a YAC machine like Deebo, that could be a very good thing for a Kliff Kingsbury offense that likes the quick-and-short passing game.
But it all comes down to Daniels uplifting the talent around him. They’ll still have to land some studs on defense in free agency to truly take over the NFC in 2025, but getting Deebo for just a fifth-round pick is a very nice start for this team’s plan to go deeper to Super Bowl LX.
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