There are a lot of accomplished wide receivers still in the free-agency pool. Names like DeAndre Hopkins, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, and Deebo Samuel Sr. are all still available. Samuel is interesting since he could still be a significant contributor on a team.
While he’s coming off a bit of a down year with the Washington Commanders, Samuel should still be able to produce in the right environment. Now, a former Super Bowl champion is arguing that Samuel to the Los Angeles Chargers makes sense for both sides.
Jason McCourty Wants to See Deebo Samuel Sr. Join the Chargers
Jason McCourty, who won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots, appeared on the “Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams.” McCourty was talking about free-agent wideout options for the Chargers when he said, “Deebo Samuel to the Chargers would be awesome.”
Before joining the Commanders in 2025, Samuel spent six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. Under head coach Kyle Shanahan, Samuel was named an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. Samuel helped the 49ers reach two Super Bowls in 2019 and 2023. Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was part of Shanahan’s 49ers staff from 2017 to 2021, so Samuel should have a lot of familiarity with the Chargers offense.
During his tenure in San Francisco, Samuel was one of the best yard-after-catch threats due to his high end speed and agility. As McCourty said, Samuel is a “catch and run type of player” who would fit well in McDaniel’s offense. The Chargers currently do not have a playmaker whose specialty is YAC, so Samuel would bring that element to the team.
Samuel would also be a strong veteran presence for the Chargers, similar to the role Keenan Allen played last year. Allen hasn’t been re-signed by Los Angeles, and Samuel can step into that void as a player who has been in the league since 2019. Given his playoff and Super Bowl experience, Samuel knows a thing or two about what it takes to contend.
The Chargers are hoping to go on a deep playoff run. Justin Herbert has been one of the most prolific regular-season quarterbacks in recent years. In 2021, he threw for 5,014 yards, becoming one of only nine QBs to throw for 5,000 yards in a season.
Last year, Herbert had a solid season, finishing 11th in PFSN’s QB Impact metric with a 79.4 grade. As amazing as Herbert has been in the regular season, making dazzling throws with his rocket arm, he has yet to win a playoff game.
Ever since getting drafted in 2020, Herbert is 0-3 in the Wild Card round, with losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022, Houston Texans in 2024, and Patriots in 2025.
This is where Samuel can help, as he has performed well in the postseason. In the 2023 NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions, Samuel hauled in 8 passes for 89 yards. In 2022, Samuel had 6 catches for 133 yards against the Seattle Seahawks in 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s first playoff win.
Samuel would make a lot of sense as a free-agent addition for the Chargers, but it remains to be seen if Los Angeles is interested in his services.
