Former Commanders WR Deebo Samuel a great fit for this AFC team

[ASFN Admin]

At the end of the 2025 season, the Washington Commanders had a plethora of players set to hit the free agency market on March 11. All told, they had 40 players heading to free agency. Of those 40, 17 have been re-signed by the Commanders, six have been signed by other teams, and 17 remain unsigned.

One of the remaining free agents is wide receiver Deebo Samuel. NFL analysts and experts have tried to figure out the best landing spots for the remaining top free agents, including Samuel. In a recent ESPN article by Matt Bowen, Samuel appears to fit best with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts added veteran receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine this offseason, but Samuel would bring a unique skill set to coach Shane Steichen's offense as a complement to Alec Pierce and slot man Josh Downs. Steichen can create a long runway for Samuel to get up to speed on crossers, while building in manufactured touches on screens and fly sweeps.

Signing Samuel, who caught 72 passes last season in Washington, would also give quarterback Daniel Jones another catch-and-run target alongside tight end Tyler Warren. Both Samuel and Warren ranked in the top 15 of yards after the catch last season.

Westbrook-Ikhine spent his first five seasons with the Tennessee Titans before landing with the Miami Dolphins in 2025. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent and has played his way into a lengthy career.

Samuel has an extra year of experience over Westbrook-Ikhine, and he brings a different skillset to the field. He provided a target for whoever landed under center for the Commanders in 2025, and he can line up anywhere on the field. Westbrook-Ikhine is a great downfield target whom the Titans figured out how to unlock in the red zone. He scored nine touchdowns for the Titans in 2024.

Samuel is a more dangerous player after the catch, has much more production over his career, and has great anticipation on the field that allows him to adjust his routes and adapt to what the defense is giving him, so he can remain an open target for his quarterback. With Daniel Jones under center in Indianapolis, adding Samuel to their roster would certainly give them more firepower, something the Commanders would have to face when the two teams face off in London in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: ESPN thinks Deebo Samuel best fits AFC team

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