Deebo Samuel was playing a video game on Wednesday when his brother called, wanting to know if he had worked out. It was another sign to the receiver that everyone around him was encouraging him to be at his best.
Samuel doesn’t even need that extra push.
Less than three weeks after joining the Washington Commanders in a trade from San Francisco and in the near immediate aftermath of general manager Adam Peters and his agent reworking his contract for next season 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’re getting a motivated Deebo,” Samuel said Thursday in his introductory video call with reporters.
“I’m very motivated. I’m just ready to get back to work. I’m just ready to get around a group of guys, meet with the players and we just go from there.”
On March 1, the Commanders acquired Samuel from the 49ers — the only NFL team he had played for until now — 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 dropped off from being an All-Pro selection in 2021.
“It just kind of shows what they think,” Samuel said. “For me on my end, it’s just like they put this much trust in me to do the things they as far as my contract. I can’t come in here and let them down. I’ve got to give it my all. I’ve got to do all the things that I need to do to be the best version of myself when I come here.”
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 touchdowns. 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 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. “He could feel where I was coming from. I could feel where he was coming from, as well, so we got to this point now.”
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 quarterback Jayden Daniels and top receiver Terry McLaurin.
“It’s kind of close to home, a really good team, a really good quarterback,” Samuel said. “Terry [has] been playing at the top of his game for the past six years. We’re going on seven, so they kind of consider us old, but I don’t consider us old. These young legs are still moving. This body’s still working pretty well. I’m just ready to get to work.”
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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