The Washington Commanders bounced back in Week 5 behind Jayden Daniels’ return from injury, but they’ll face Monday Night Football with a depleted receiving corps. Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown have already been ruled out, and now Deebo Samuel Sr. is listed as questionable with a bruised heel, leaving his status uncertain for tonight’s matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Deebo Samuel’s Status for Tonight’s Bears Clash
Samuel has been battling a bruised heel for the past two weeks, raising questions about his availability for Monday Night Football. The injury first surfaced ahead of Week 5, when he missed the team’s opening practice sessions but ultimately played against the Chargers.
However, hours before the game, NFL insider Adam Schefter confirmed that the Commanders’ star will play against the Bears.
Commanders WR Deebo Samuel, listed as questionable for tonight’s game against the Bears due to a heel injury, is expected to play, per ESPN’s @saltersl.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 13, 2025
In the game against Los Angeles, Samuel demonstrated his toughness by playing through the heel problem and delivering eight catches for 96 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. He showed no visible signs of the injury affecting his performance, suggesting he could manage the discomfort effectively.
This week brought a different dynamic as Samuel participated in more practice sessions than last week. However, he was entirely absent from Thursday’s practice before returning for limited work on Friday, earning him a questionable designation for Monday’s game.
Head coach Dan Quinn offered a cautious update on Saturday, confirming that Samuel’s status isn’t certain for Monday Night Football and that the team would “take it into Monday” regarding his availability.
“As for Deebo Samuel’s status, TBD,” Commanders beat reporter Ben Standig shared on X. “Dan Quinn said the team is helping Deebo ‘manage’ his bruised heel. Doesn’t see this being a season-long issue, but enough of one for the coach not to say the WR is 100% in for MNF.”
Washington’s receiving corps would have been significantly depleted if Samuel was not available. Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane, and Chris Moore would have become the primary targets behind him, as McLaurin has already been ruled out due to a quadriceps issue, while Brown remains sidelined with groin and knee problems.
Samuel leads the Commanders with 30 receptions for 300 yards, 346 scrimmage yards, and three touchdowns through five games. He has become Daniels’ most reliable target since his trade from San Francisco in March and currently ranks 13th in PFSN’s WR Impact metric with an 84.6 grade.
