The 2025 season was supposed to be a bounce-back year for Deebo Samuel. Or at least that’s what the Washington Commanders hoped for, when they gave the WR a one-year prove-it deal worth up to $20 million ($17 million guaranteed) after acquiring him from the 49ers.
Advertisement
With a new offense led by prodigy Jayden Daniels, an exciting OC in Kliff Kingsbury, and a contract loaded with incentives, in an ideal world, Deebo had all the weapons around him to have an electric season. But with two games left in the regular season, the reality has been far less explosive for both Deebo and the 4-11 Commanders.
Deebo’s first year in Washington has been statistically underwhelming. Through 14 games, he has posted 68 receptions for 639 yards and five receiving touchdowns, averaging just 9.4 yards per catch. For context, that number was at 18.2 yards per reception during his All-Pro 2021 season in San Fran.
Moreover, the now-Washington Commander hasn’t cracked 100 receiving yards in a single game this season, and his trademark yards-after-catch dominance has largely disappeared. Still, despite the dip in production, Deebo remains very much in play for a significant bonus.
With two games remaining, here’s exactly what Deebo needs to unlock a whopping $700,000 in incentives (per Spotrac):
- 2 more receptions to unlock $200,000
- 61 more receiving yards to unlock $250,000
- 2 more receiving touchdowns to unlock $250,000
In other words, all three incentives are still alive, but none are guaranteed. This context makes Deebo’s quiet outing against the Eagles (three passes for 35 yards) sting a little more because not only did Washington lose 29-18, but the offense struggled to move the ball through the air. And Deebo finished with fewer than 45 yards for the seventh time in his last nine games.
Moving on, the Commanders’ next two games on the schedule include a home clash against the Dallas Cowboys and a second meeting with the Eagles, this time at Philadelphia.
For Deebo, those games now serve a dual purpose. On one hand, they’re the final chance to boost his stocks ahead of unrestricted free agency. On the other, they represent a realistic path to an extra $700,000, a substantial sum.
So will Deebo be able to achieve the incentives in the next two games? Ideally, yes, because for someone of Deebo’s calibre, 2 receptions, 2 TDs, and 61 yards should be light work in a game. But considering Deebo has barely looked like the version of himself, there is a doubt.
In this case, he may need some assistance from his opponents, which is not a big ask. Against the Cowboys, he will be squaring off against the worst defense in the league with no incentive to perform. Yes, they’re out of the playoffs.
The Eagles game also has the potential to be a cakewalk for the Commanders because they may choose to rest their starters for the last regular-season game.
Safe to say, Deebo is likely to end the season by salvaging a significant financial win.
