According to ESPN’s Matt Bowen, the Indianapolis Colts are the best fit for veteran free agent wideout Deebo Samuel among potential NFL suitors:
Deebo Samuel, WR
Best team fit: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts added veteran receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine this offseason, but Samuel would bring a unique skill set to coach Shane Steichen’s offense as a complement to Alec Pierce and slot man Josh Downs. Steichen can create a long runway for Samuel to get up to speed on crossers, while building in manufactured touches on screens and fly sweeps.
Signing Samuel, who caught 72 passes last season in Washington, would also give quarterback Daniel Jones another catch-and-run target alongside tight end Tyler Warren. Both Samuel and Warren ranked in the top 15 of yards after the catch last season.
Originally a 2019 2nd round pick of the San Francisco 49ers, the 30-year-0ld Samuel became NFL First-Team All-Pro and NFL Pro Bowler back in 2021 for his former team.
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He spent last season as a member of the Washington Commanders, where he recorded 72 receptions for 727 total receiving yards (10.1 ypr. avg.) and 5 touchdown receptions during 16 games (12 starts). He also had 17 receptions for 75 total rushing yards (4.4 ypc. avg.) and a rushing touchdown.
Entering his 8th NFL season, Samuel realistically isn’t the same guy he once was with the 49ers and hasn’t been as of late production wise. That being said, he can still add value with his yards-after-the-catch ability.
Having traded veteran wideout Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason, the Colts still haven’t made a meaningful upgrade opposite Alec Pierce, aside from signing fellow veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who ideally would project as more of a rotational depth piece with Samuel’s arrival.
However, the Colts didn’t make any reported effort to sign veteran free agent wideout Jauan Jennings, who recently signed with the Minnesota Vikings, and it’s hard to see them signing Samuel, who’s slightly older and even makes even less sense from a playing style standpoint.
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Chalk this one up to ‘fun to think about,’ but the odds of it actually happening appear to be pretty slim.
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