Deebo Samuel Sr. remains unsigned nearly two months into free agency, but he could land on a team pretty soon. The 30-year-old receiver hit free agency after his contract with the Washington Commanders was voided in February. In his one season with the NFC East team, he recorded 72 receptions for 727 yards, 75 rushing yards, and 6 total touchdowns.
Last season, Samuel registered a career low in yards per reception (10.1) and had mediocre numbers all over the board, but that can be attributed to injuries to quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Where Deebo Samuel Sr. Could Sign as a Free Agent
With the right coaching staff, in the right system, it could unlock another productive chapter for one of the league’s most versatile offensive weapons.
Here are four teams that should make the call:
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers might be the most natural scheme fit for Samuel on the list. Their new offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniel, spent three seasons coaching Samuel in San Francisco, serving as the 49ers’ run game coordinator and then offensive coordinator.
He was the 49ers’ OC during Samuel’s All-Pro 2021 campaign, when he racked up 1,405 receiving yards, 365 rushing yards, and 14 total touchdowns. According to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, in that season, he posted an impact score of 92.3, ranking third in the league.
No coordinator in football knows how to weaponize Samuel better than McDaniel. The Chargers have $45.8 million in cap space, per Over the Cap, and they can afford the veteran wideout.
Samuel would slot in alongside Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, and second-year receiver Tre Harris, giving Justin Herbert a proven playmaker who excels in the quick passing game and trick plays that McDaniel favors. Having Jim Harbaugh as the head coach and Herbert as the quarterback, the Chargers offer Samuel arguably the best chance to compete for a Super Bowl while producing at a high level in a system built for his skill set.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason and haven’t replaced him yet. Alec Pierce and Josh Downs are legitimate speedsters, but neither profiles as the underneath option Daniel Jones will need as he returns from his Achilles injury.
Samuel’s ability to produce on short-to-intermediate routes would reduce the pressure on Jones to push the ball downfield early in his recovery. Tyler Warren’s emergence as one of the best tight ends in the league also adds another underneath option, and Samuel’s presence would give head coach Shane Steichen the kind of versatile chess piece he thrives with.
The Colts carry roughly $26.6 million in cap space, which is enough to absorb a prove-it deal. Samuel wouldn’t need to be the focal point in Indianapolis, and that reduced workload could help preserve his effectiveness while giving the offense a reliable third option behind Pierce and Downs, who can also contribute in the run game as a ball carrier.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers addressed their receiver depth this offseason by trading for Pittman and drafting Alabama’s Germie Bernard, pairing both with DK Metcalf. That trio gives Pittsburgh three traditional outside options, but the offense still lacks a dynamic, yards-after-catch weapon who can line up everywhere and create explosive plays, and Samuel would fill that role perfectly.
Pittsburgh currently has roughly $11 million in cap space, but restructures to T.J. Watt or Metcalf’s contracts could free additional room for a short-term deal.
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If Aaron Rodgers returns for another season under Mike McCarthy, the Steelers’ window is narrow, and adding Samuel’s versatility as a runner and receiver could provide the offensive jolt a unit that ranked among the league’s least explosive desperately needs.
According to PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric, the Steelers’ offense posted an impact score of 76.4 last season, ranking 14th in the league.
Rodgers’ average depth of target last season was 6.7 yards, as he tried to release the ball quickly. Samuel thrives on those short, high-percentage targets and turns them into chunk plays with his physicality after the catch.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans have invested heavily in surrounding second-year quarterback Cam Ward with weapons, drafting Carnell Tate fourth overall and signing Wan’Dale Robinson to a four-year, $70 million deal.
Calvin Ridley will return from a broken fibula, and second-year receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike showed flashes as rookies. Despite all that, adding Samuel still makes sense for a franchise that carried the league’s most cap space entering the offseason and still has roughly $63.1 million in cap space.
Samuel’s relationship with head coach Robert Saleh dates back to their shared time in San Francisco, where Saleh served as defensive coordinator during Samuel’s breakout years.
Saleh understands how Samuel operates, and coordinator Brian Daboll has the creativity to deploy him as both a receiver and a runner. For Samuel, Tennessee represents the best chance to maximize his earning potential on a team that’s openly spending to build around its young quarterback, even if success in the playoffs isn’t the expectation.
