A video from Washington Commanders practice has stirred up rumors about Deebo Samuel's alleged weight gain and declined foot speed.
A video from Washington Commanders practice has stirred up rumors about Deebo Samuel's alleged weight gain and declined foot speed. originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
With nothing better for fans to do, social media has turned into a feeding ground to speculate and overanalyze every glimpse they can get from inside NFL minicamps.
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How is he playing? Is he fast? Does he look healthy? If he going to get traded?
All of these thoughts, and more, are up for debate ... either as legit discussions or simply agendas pushed in search of clicks.
This week's buzz about such videos comes from Washington Commanders practice, where wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. was seen running a deep route and catching a pass at the goal line.
What looks like a routine play has been met with a storm of harsh criticism about Samuel's alleged weight gain, claiming that it looks like he's put on some pounds and has lost a step of speed.
"... no comment ... because I don't want to be mean," one fan said about the clip.
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"Deebo Samuel is a Popeyes biscuit away from being a TE," another commented.
"Extra-wide receiver*," one added.
The dual-threat receiver was acquired in a trade from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, hoping to form a dynamic duo with All-Pro Terry McLaurin for star quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Since his breakout season in 2021, Samuel has seen a decline numbers wise, but he is still widely considered an elite player because of his unique pass catching and rushing abilities at the position.
His weight has been a topic of conversation in the past, as there was an alarming report about his physical conditioning shortly after he requested a trade and was dealt to Washington in March.
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The Athletic's Matt Barrows confirmed a report that Samuel had been 20 pounds over weight during the 2024 season.
'I'm not going to say the number, but I asked what was Deebo's high point weight wise last season and it meshes with what you said a couple of weeks ago," Barrows told Tim Kawakami on The TK Show.
"It got really high and there may have been reasons for that. Not able to work out because of pneumonia. Not able to work out because of injuries. But that's a concern. I think the 49ers had that concern the minute he showed up in Santa Clara in 2019 and it never fully went away.'
Samuel barked back on social media clearing up his weight, saying "225 to be exact ... Can't wait till this season start. Fresh start..."
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So, does he still look heavy and slow this offseason?
Maybe ... but there are things to consider before fans jump off the deep end and say he's completely washed.
This is a minicamp drill ... players are not supposed to be running full speed, and you certainly can't expect that from a veteran player like Samuel who is older and doesn't as much to prove anymore.
Also, Deebo has never been the skinniest guy to begin with. His pads may make his torso look thinner during the season, so seeing him in just a jersey for the first time this year could have caught fans off guard.
Part of the reason Samuel excels in rushing is his combination and strength and speed, so it's worth remembering that this body type isn't completely out of the ordinary.
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Fans could be reaching for the tinfoil hats a bit too prematurely here. Let's let the rest of Washington's offseason program play out first.
From here on, we can now expect to see regular Deebo updates to either contradict or defend this criticism.
Related: Commanders' 'Worst-Case Scenario' Has Jayden Daniels Flavor
Related: How Good Was Commanders' 'All-In' Offseason?
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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