Commanders' Trade for Deebo Samuel Earns Mixed Reactions From NFL World

Can the wide receiver recapture his 2021 form?

Deebo Samuel is headed to Washington to join the Commanders / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Someone had to make the first big move of the NFL offseason, and absorb all the headlines that come with it—and on Saturday, that someone was the Washington Commanders.

Kicking off the offseason news cycle, the Commanders agreed to acquire wide receiver Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers for a fifth-round draft pick. Should the trade go through, the move gives Samuel a much-needed change of scenery and bulks up Washington's receiving corps after an excellent 2024.

Those are optimistic reads of the trade, but it could plausibly go wrong as well. Samuel is 29 and remains primarily associated with one good season—his All-Pro campaign in 2021.

Because of this, reactions around the league were tentative on several fronts.

🚨 🚨 🚨

The #49ers are trading star WR Deebo Samuel to the #Commanders for draft pick compensation, sources say.

Samuel, due $21.7M this year, now heads to join former SF exec Adam Peters and play with QB Jayden Daniels, who gets another weapon. pic.twitter.com/h9Ku5U6uX1

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2025

Some 49ers fans wished Samuel farewell.

Did a lot of great things for the franchise.

But it was the correct decision to move on. Best of luck Deebo 🫡 https://t.co/ii8mZZTpoL

— Andrew 🌊 (@AndrewTakesWs) March 1, 2025

Deebo with 42 TDs with the 49ers and single-handedly derailing the Eagles entire season in 2023.

He was a dawg. pic.twitter.com/VSBK2DqIus

— 49ers Jack (@TheJuiceTDGuy) March 2, 2025

Some were excited that the entire saga was over.

Warriors good again and Deebo off my team pic.twitter.com/wzEwZGng40 https://t.co/zZHraD1ekz

— Smiley (@30GotNext) March 1, 2025

DUB CITY https://t.co/l4mMLfFGXq

— DOC (@doconnell2000) March 1, 2025

At least one Commanders reporter took a victory lap.

Told ya all week the Deebo stuff was real https://t.co/pN45Qywq5g

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) March 1, 2025

Broadly speaking, observers appeared to like the fit for Washington specifically.

Think he’s pretty washed but definitely an upgrade when your WR2 was Olamide Zacchaeus https://t.co/4BtHaYQFHl

— Brandon Carney (@BenchwarmerBran) March 1, 2025

He’ll be an elite fit in Washington’s offense if he stays healthy. Move wouldn’t have made sense for every team, but I like it for Washington https://t.co/DmRiXNdaSy

— Jon Ledyard (@LedyardNFLDraft) March 1, 2025

A little surprised that the 49ers were able to get a fifth for Deebo given the (apparent) lack of other suitors, sheer number of vet WRs hitting the market, and the writing on the wall that they were moving on one way or another. But like the fit on field for the Commanders.

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) March 2, 2025

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