Inside Commanders’ Plans to Unleash Deebo Samuel: ‘It will Be Enormous’ for Jayden Daniels

Early within the offseason, Deebo Samuel requested Kliff Kingsbury — politely — for extra deep targets. Samuel, usually a slot man, needed to line up outdoors and run go-balls. Kingsbury figured: Why not? 

And so, lined up outdoors, Samuel hauled in his first goal on a go-ball for an enormous play. 

The plain takeaway?

“Alright, we’ll get you on the market extra,” Washington’s offensive coordinator instructed Samuel.

It’s an enormous a part of what drew the Commanders to Samuel. It is his capacity to do absolutely anything. To do extra – together with the deep recreation that’s increasing the workforce’s plans for Samuel. That’s why Washington acquired him in a commerce with the 49ers this offseason earlier than guaranteeing his $17-million wage and including $3 million in incentives. As the previous Arizona Cardinals head coach, Kingsbury watched from the other sideline whereas Samuel and Christian McCaffrey triggered suits for his defenses. 

And now, Kingsbury mentioned he’s “honored” to have the chance to take advantage of Samuel’s skills.

Deebo Samuel is all smiles in Commanders camp working with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and QB Jayden Daniels. (Picture by John McDonnell/For The Washington Put up through Getty Pictures)

It must be a deal with to look at one of many NFL’s actually distinctive weapons and one of many NFL’s brightest offensive minds in the identical offense.

“There will be some issues that folks have not seen with how we function him,” Commanders head coach Dan Quinn mentioned Wednesday.

That’s what I hoped he’d say.

It’s an enormous win for Kingsbury. And it could possibly be a good larger win for Jayden Daniels.

“I believe it will be big [for Daniels’ development],” Kingsbury instructed me. “These hidden yards that you could get with a participant like Deebo, whether or not it is a display or a fast cross when he makes the primary man miss, is so useful for a quarterback. The stress isn’t at all times on you to carry on to it and throw it down the sphere, and in order that’s sort of an outlet that may be an actual peace of thoughts. When issues are getting tougher, OK, how will we get Deebo the ball? Let’s get him concerned. He can get it going. It doesn’t should be all on the QB.”

Terry McLaurin has lengthy been a deep risk for the Commanders. Usually connecting with McLaurin, Daniels led the NFL in go-route success final season, per Subsequent Gen Stats, with 9 touchdowns and no interceptions. Daniels nonetheless sees room for enchancment, and he mentioned the repetitions would be the key to opening up that component of the passing recreation. There ought to come some extent the place McLaurin stretches vertically and Samuel challenges the width of the protection within the intermediate and checkdown areas — with tight finish Zach Ertz consuming up yards in the midst of the sphere.

Terry McLaurin (left) had a career-high 13 receiving touchdowns final season whereas rookie Jayden Daniels led the NFL in go-route success. (Picture by Nic Antaya/Getty Pictures)

However as a result of McLaurin is holding in amid a contract dispute, Samuel is getting extra of these go balls that he requested for upon arriving in Washington.

“I believe the route-running capacity is approach higher than I anticipated,” Kingsbury mentioned of Samuel. “Yeah, he actually has some pure really feel, whether or not it is inside, outdoors, downfield, making performs.”

That a lot was clear in joint practices between the New England Patriots and the Commanders on Wednesday. Daniels seemed early and sometimes for Ertz over the center. Nevertheless it was Samuel who helped Daniels use extra of the sphere. A swing cross right here. A deep put up there. And a deep crosser right here. And little question, that unpredictability helped open up the center of the sphere the place — you guessed it — Ertz predictably attacked.

Late in observe throughout a seven-on-seven crimson zone interval, Daniels discovered Samuel within the again left nook of the tip zone. The receiver ripped the ball out of the air over cornerback Marcus Jones’ helmet. Samuel stored each toes in-bounds whereas backpedaling, and he secured the ball by means of Jones’ swatting and the influence with the bottom.

It was a landing — and doubtless essentially the most spectacular catch by any participant on the day.

For Daniels to keep away from a sophomore hunch like we noticed from Texans QB C.J. Stroud final yr, Samuel may simply be the important thing. Now, it’ll take arduous work. The 29-year-old receiver is coming off considered one of his worst statistical years in 2024, when he handled a calf pressure, rib and indirect accidents, a wrist challenge and pneumonia. However Samuel is grinding arduous to verify he understands Daniels’ preferences by way of routes, timing and coverages. And Kingsbury is working arduous to conceptualize one of the best methods to get Samuel the soccer. 

Jacks of all trades are sometimes masters of none. It’s one factor to herald somebody as versatile as Samuel. It’s one other factor to correctly make the most of his skills. You possibly can’t at all times plug and play. Usually, a singular participant like Samuel requires a singular recreation plan. 

However that arduous work can be an awesome alternative for Kingsbury to flex his artistic muscle tissue.

“You nailed it,” he instructed me. “It is extra of an honor for me to have a participant like that, the place you see all these completely different potentialities and performs. It actually expands your playbook. It expands the personnel teams — making an attempt to get mismatches with the protection. As an offensive thoughts, that is one thing that you could’t put a value on getting that chance.”

To date, the Commanders haven’t actually proven all their playing cards on how they’ll use Samuel. 

Consider it like blackjack: one card up and the opposite down.

Ertz admitted they’re nonetheless pretty “vanilla” by way of scheme. Kingsbury instructed me he “can’t wait to recreation plan” round Samuel’s distinctive abilities. However Samuel didn’t line up at working again in the course of the joint observe and hasn’t spent a lot time there throughout coaching camp. Kingsbury mentioned he needed to determine Samuel’s consolation within the slot spot and “construct from there.” And sure, when these practices shut from the general public eye in just a few weeks, the Commanders will experiment with Samuel beneath the duvet of privateness.

McLaurin’s latest commerce request may emphasize Samuel’s significance much more. Even when McLaurin returns to the Commanders on a brand new deal, we’ve seen receivers want just a few weeks to recalibrate after a holdout or hold-in. For instance, Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase had simply 97 whole yards in his first two video games final yr — each losses for Cincinnati.

Early in observe on Wednesday, Samuel sidled up beside Daniels to talk and watch backup quarterback Josh Johnson run the second workforce offense for 11-on-11s. They may have been speaking concerning the climate, about politics, about why the sky is blue. However I’d prefer to assume they have been speaking about how that observe was an indication of issues to return — an indicator that Washington’s offense is about to get an entire lot extra harmful. 

As a result of with Samuel, the Commanders ought to get an entire lot extra harmful.

Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years masking the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Comply with him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna. 

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