After a disastrous 2024, Deebo Samuel is eager for a new beginning. The WR struggled on the field and concluded his season in disappointment. Along with his team, he was also dissatisfied with his 51 receptions for 670 yards and 3 receiving TDs. To compensate for his game and get a fresh start, Samuel requested a trade, and the 49ers respected his decision. Samuel is now on his way to the Commanders, but things have changed dramatically in this trade. Interestingly, Washington has received a significant warning why this move is terrible for them.
While 2024 saw Deebo Samuel’s decline, everyone is aware of his true potential. Adam Peters, the Commanders’ current GM, formerly worked with Samuel at the 49ers. And Peters understands how well the WR performs on the field and how he can offer a layer of experience to the team’s offense. But there have been concerns expressed about Samuel’s weight issues from last year. And those issues may be identified as the reason the WR failed to perform well. Even Jeff Mueller commented on this claiming, “That’s why they traded for Deebo.”
That’s why they traded for Deebo https://t.co/baDsigDpAq pic.twitter.com/UbSuKc6G2Q
— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) March 3, 2025
According to reports, Samuel exceeded the NFL’s weight limit by 20 pounds. He weighed 215 pounds and was suspected of being slow on the field; as a result, he was even fined by the league. Many people are unaware that the NFL has fairly severe weight regulations, including an upper limit. If a player exceeds that weight limit, they will be charged $700 for each pound they are overweight. This could indicate that Samuel was not prioritizing his health, and obviously this could be detrimental to the Commanders. But is this actually the case?
Well, not quite. As reporter Matt Burrows has confirmed that this extra weight could be due to injuries and pneumonia that the WR had last year. He stated on The TK Show, “I’m not going to say the number, but I asked what was Deebo’s high point weight wise last season and it meshes with what you said a couple of weeks ago. It got really high and there may have been reasons for that. Not able to work out because of Pneumonia. Not able to work out due to injuries. But that’s a concern. I think the 49ers had that concern the minute he showed up in Santa Clara in 2019 and it never fully went away.”
While Samuel had some reasons for being overweight last year, it appears that no justification will suffice this year. HC Dan Quinn is not looking for any excuses for poor performances.
Deebo Samuel already understands what he needs to do at the Commanders
Entering the Commanders would be a significant achievement for Deebo Samuel. He would be entering a new culture and climate that appears to be somewhat strict. Dan Quinn, Washington’s head coach, recently spoke in an interview about what the team is looking forward to. He stated that the most crucial quality he looks for in a player is discipline. So the $17.5 million star can’t fumble due to weight reasons this time around.
Quinn stated, “At the very front of the line, man, are we looking for the competitive spirit in a player. Guys who absolutely love ball. They’re willing to show that connection with their teammates. Some of that shows up in meetings like it does here — leadership, tell me some examples. Culture is how we get down every day: that’s the identity of our team, our behaviors, our habits. I wanted to make sure that type of identity and team, we could do that, but it had to be through the team.”
The Commanders have long been recognized for having strong rookies, and the reason for that could be Dan Quinn’s strictness. QB Jayden Daniels is a living example of that, after all he had a great first season. And maybe the future rookie players for the team this year can look forward to a tough season because of Quinn’s restrictions and regulations.
The post Renowned NFL Doctor Issues Stern Deebo Samuel Warning to Commanders Front Office as Dan Quinn’s Roster Takes a $17.5M Hit appeared first on EssentiallySports.
