Deebo Samuel was once the enemy, but as a free agent could the receiver be a good complement to the styles of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams in the Rams offense next season? His connection to new L.A. offensive assistant Kliff Kingsbury makes for an interesting opportunity to endorse that Deebo would at least know what his role would be on the Rams.
Kingsbury raved about Deebo’s competitiveness last year when he was Washington’s OC:
“Just his mentality, how he’s been since he got here, the competitive nature and every drill, every rep,” Kingsbury said. “He’s the first one in line on all the receiver stuff. It’s been awesome.”
“The Deebo, he, I remember being in Arizona just the matchup issue where you don’t know what personnel group they’re in… That to me is the most exciting thing when it comes to game planning and finding ways to get him touches,” Kingsbury said.
Many are assuming that Deebo is going to return to the 49ers after one season on the Commanders, and maybe that is exactly what happens. Does that give Sean McVay even more incentive to troll Kyle Shanahan by stealing him off of the market if the price is right?
Deebo Samuel caught 72 of 99 targets (a career-best 72.7% catch rate) and gained 727 yards with five touchdowns.
His days as a runner are almost over, but he did carry it 17 times for 75 yards and a touchdown. However, one of the potential issues is Deebo’s three fumbles. Still he’s so much different than L.A.‘s other receiving options, his threat as an underneath option compared to Puka is intriguing and he’d be less of a waste of money than spending $10 million on Tutu Atwell.
What would he cost?
Given that DeAndre Hopkins was paid $5 million by the Ravens last year, could Deebo take a similar amount?
Hopkins is older but he has had a 1,000-yard season much more recently than Deebo has: Deebo hasn’t even had 900 yards since 2021.
If the Rams brought in Deebo on a one-year, $5 million contract, is that the worst deal they’ve ever signed? It wouldn’t even be in the bottom-5 for wide receivers that the Rams have signed in the last 5 years.
An offense with Adams and Deebo together would have seemed crazy a couple years ago. Now it’s just a matter of whether the Rams want it and if Kingsbury endorses the idea or not.