Deebo Samuel was playing a video game Wednesday when his brother called, wanting to know if he worked out. It was another sign to the receiver that everyone around him is encouraging him to be at his best.
Samuel doesn’t even need that extra push.
Less than three weeks since joining the Washington Commanders and in the near immediate aftermath of general manager Adam Peters and his agent to guarantee a large sum of money, the 29-year-old foreshadowed that his new team is getting a player fired up to make an impact.
“They鈥檙e getting a motivated Deebo,” Samuel said Thursday in his introductory video call with reporters. 鈥淚鈥檓 very motivated. I鈥檓 just ready to get back to work. I鈥檓 just ready to get around a group of guys, meet with the players and we just go from there.鈥�
On March 1, the Commanders acquired Samuel from the 49ers 鈥� the only NFL team he had played for until now 鈥� for the meager price of a fifth-round pick. On Wednesday, they renegotiated the final year of his deal to guarantee his $17 million salary and provide another $3 million in potential incentives.
That meant a lot to Samuel, who has plenty to prove after a few seasons of his production dropping off from being an All-Pro selection in 2021.
鈥淚t just kind of shows what they think,鈥� Samuel said. “For me on my end, it鈥檚 just like they put this much trust in me to do the things they as far as my contract, I can鈥檛 come in here and let them down. I鈥檝e got to give it my all. I鈥檝e got to do all the things that I need to do to be the best version myself when I come here.鈥�
Samuel was at his best four years ago when he had 77 catches for 1,405 yards and six touchdown receptions and ran for 365 yards and eight more TDs. He has not reached 900 yards in a season since and is coming off a down year of 51 catches for 670 yards and an average of just 3.2 on the ground on 42 carries while dealing with some injuries.
A change of scenery was in the offing, with that understanding reaching from Samuel to Niners GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan.
“At the end of the day, we both understood,” Samuel said. 鈥淗e could feel where I was coming from. I could feel where he was coming from, as well, so we got to this point now.鈥�
Asked by his agent for his top five choices, Samuel had Washington on his list, in part because it’s not far from where he grew up in South Carolina and he has some family nearby in Baltimore. There was also the incentive of playing with and top receiver Terry McLaurin.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of close to home, a really good team, a really good quarterback, Terry鈥檚 been playing at the top of his game for the past six years,鈥� Samuel said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going on seven, so they kind of consider us old, but I don鈥檛 consider us old. These young legs are still moving. This body鈥檚 still working pretty well. I鈥檓 just ready to get to work.鈥�
Gallup signs
Samuel is not the Commanders’ only new wideout. They signed Michael Gallup on Thursday, getting him back in the league after retiring, taking last season off and deciding to make a comeback.
Gallup, who just turned 29, said the swing from the a year ago and joining the Las Vegas Raiders a month later caused him to give up on football. Now he’s ready to try again.
鈥淚 just wasn鈥檛 in the right headspace,鈥� Gallup said. 鈥淚 needed to take a full reset, and that鈥檚 what I did, and thankfully I鈥檝e still got folks around the league that still believe in me, so that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 here.鈥�
Gallup’s strongest connection is to coach Dan Quinn, who was defensive coordinator with the Cowboys from 2021-23.
鈥淗e was the D.C. and he was over here worried about a wide receiver: just checking up on me, always talking, always laughing,鈥� Gallup said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 one of the great dudes in the locker room that you want to have a coach. He鈥檚 looking out for everybody, not just his own players.鈥�
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