John Keim
ASHBURN, Va. — Throughout a timeout earlier than the Washington Commanders' remaining play from scrimmage Sunday, quarterback Jayden Daniels and receiver Deebo Samuel had been seen on digital camera passing the time by rehearsing their landing dance.
A couple of minute later, they had been performing their skit in the long run zone after Daniels related with Samuel on a fourth-and-goal from the 8-yard line in Washington's 27-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I've by no means completed that earlier than,” Samuel stated. “He despatched me a TikTok earlier that week and was like, ‘Yo, we have got to hit this if one in every of us scores.' We knew the playcall and figured it could be open, so we made certain we had it proper, and he simply threw a dot to the again of the tip zone.”
That second highlights the sturdy connection Samuel and Daniels have developed. And it is one motive why Samuel is off to such an amazing begin in his first season with Washington following an offseason commerce from San Francisco.
“I feel the brand new surroundings, new staff, new ambiance, nice quarterback, nice coaches and the power across the staff. It seems like residence once more for certain,” stated Samuel, who's within the remaining 12 months of his contract.
Samuel, who was exchanged for a 2025 fifth-round decide, leads the Commanders (3-2) with 30 receptions, 300 yards and three touchdowns heading into Monday night time's recreation towards the Chicago Bears (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC). No different Commander has greater than 14 receptions or 149 yards. He has additionally rushed seven occasions for 46 yards.
Samuel's begin is why, throughout coaching camp, he confidently proclaimed “I've nonetheless bought so much within the tank” after having one in every of his worst seasons in 2024.
Samuel has completed this, additionally, with out fellow receivers Terry McLaurin for the previous two video games, and Noah Brown for the previous three. Brown, who had been out with a groin harm, has practiced full this week; McLaurin has not practiced since injuring his proper quad in Week 3.
Samuel can also be averaging 36.8 yards on six kick returns, although with McLaurin and Brown sidelined he hasn't returned kicks since Week 3.
It helps that Samuel is flexible, simply as he was in San Francisco for six seasons. There are some variations, although: In Washington, he has run extra routes out of the slot (72) than exterior (35). With the 49ers final 12 months, he ran 118 routes out of the slot and 223 exterior. He is additionally averaging simply 1.4 carries per recreation, which might be the fewest since his rookie season of 2019.
However the finish outcome is similar: Lining up in quite a few spots has helped him keep productive when others are out.
“All the things he did in San [Francisco], he is doing that right here,” Daniels stated. “So, we discover methods to simply to get him the ball and let him make performs.”
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury says Samuel's versatility helps when calling performs.
“They know we'll attempt to get him touches,” Kingsbury stated, “however he can play exterior, he can play inside, he can play operating again, he can do it form of all. And I feel that permits me as a playcaller and us as an offensive workers to be artistic and the way we get him the ball and proceed to attempt to discover methods to try this.”
Samuel has a goal price of 30.2% this season — the best of his profession and fifth amongst receivers who've run not less than 100 routes. Final 12 months it was 21.3%; his profession finest was 26.3% in 2021 when he additionally completed with a career-best 1,405 yards receiving.
A few of this stems from lacking McLaurin and Brown, in addition to third-down again Austin Ekeler, who's out for the 12 months with a torn proper Achilles. However even within the three video games with McLaurin, Samuel's goal price was 28% — and he led the staff with 16 receptions.
Samuel is on tempo for 1,176 yards from scrimmage, which might be the second most in his profession. That's, if he performs a full season, which he has but to do in his profession. Nonetheless, he is averaging 16 extra yards per recreation than in 2024.
He stated he is displaying the remainder of the league his “nice ball expertise.”
“I've all the time been good with the ball in my hand making downfield performs,” Samuel stated. “I've completed an amazing job of that.”
And as soon as McLaurin returns, he stated, “It will be one other step we take as a staff.”
However with out McLaurin the Commanders wanted extra; Samuel has responded with 14 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns the previous two weeks.
“He is only a full participant,” tight finish Zach Ertz stated. “One among Kliff's finest strengths is maximizing folks's talent units, and he is multiplied Deebo's talent set tenfold. … He is a extremely good route runner; he can run the complete route tree. He is particular with the ball in his arms, however he can present his full self right here.”
A part of the whole Samuel is the power coaches and teammates say he brings, each from his play and his persona. They like watching Samuel break tackles. Kingsbury credit that to his “aggressive nature.”
“He's as aggressive as I have been round,” Kingsbury stated. “On recreation day, he units the tone together with his depth, the main focus. When he touches the ball, you are like, ‘OK, right here we go.'”
However he is additionally energetic throughout apply, within the locker room. As gamers gathered on the apply area at some point in coaching camp, followers began to chant, “Jayden! Jayden!” Samuel, as normal, was round Daniels and began imploring the group — chanting together with them, waving his arms for extra — as a bashful Daniels hid his head beneath a towel.
“He is very all the way down to earth, tremendous chill. So, folks like being round him,” stated Daniels, who typically frolicked with Samuel after he was traded to Washington.
“I am a excessive power man,” Samuel stated.
And it even extends to conferences.
“Simply the power that he brings to conferences and to apply,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn stated earlier this season. “He is considerate, he needs to ask questions. ‘What if we did it like this?' He challenges you in a great way and makes you suppose so, he is been actually, actually enjoyable to teach. He simply, man, he loves soccer. You'll be able to really feel it.”
