Commanders' training camp storyline: How will Kliff Kingsbury use Deebo Samuel?

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The Washington Commanders made two huge trades in the early stages of free agency, one to bring Deebo Samuel to town to give Jayden Daniels another weapon, and the second to bring in Laremy Tunsil to protect Daniels' blind side. Getting Samuel for the price they did is in large part due to his decline in production over the last few seasons, but the Commanders believe he can provide what Daniels needs.

In a recent article from CBS Sports, the biggest camp storyline is how Kliff Kingsbury intends to use the veteran receiver.

Biggest camp storyline: Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's usage of new wide receiver Deebo Samuel and how he looks

Player to watch: Samuel

Samuel's value has taken a hit. Washington was able to acquire him for a fifth-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers in a salary dump this offseason following a 2024 campaign in which he averaged a career-low 53.7 yards from scrimmage per game. He's still on a contender, joining the 2024 NFC runner up and reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels.

How he looks in Kingsbury's attack will be intriguing to watch. There was a prevailing sentiment that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was uniquely positioned to maximize Samuel's unique talents for many years. He is the only player in the Super Bowl era with at least 4,500 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in his first six seasons in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). Samuel also leads all wide receivers in yards after catch (3,084) and yards after catch per reception (9.2) since entering the league in 2019.

Will Kingsbury utilize him traditionally, or in a more dual-threat capacity with Samuel now 29 and entering his seventh NFL season? OTAs could be the first chance to observe such details.

Samuel, while 29, has remained relatively healthy through his career, typically missing a game or two but nothing more. Except in 2020, when he played in just seven games. It's clear that Adam Peters and Kingsbury see something in Samuel that they can utilize in Washington, even if it's as simple as distracting teams from McLaurin to increase the chances of a big play.

Regardless of how Kingsbury intends to use Samuel, he is an asset and will be integral to the Commanders' success in 2025.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: How will Commanders' OC Kliff Kingsbury use Deebo Samuel in 2025?

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