Commanders Get Mixed Reviews On Offseason Trades
Commanders Get Mixed Reviews On Offseason Trades originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After reaching the conference championship game for the first time in 30 years last season, the Washington Commanders got bold.
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To close the gap on their champion rivals in Philadelphia, Washington made two big moves to jumpstart the offseason. They acquired Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel.
Both moves were the kind of "win-now" acquisitions that championship contenders make.
Not everyone was impressed with the deals, though.
ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler explained that sources around the league were less enthused about the team's addition of Samuel than they were of the deal for Tunsil.
"While teams we spoke to had mixed reviews on the Deebo Samuel Sr. trade due to perceptions of a declining skill set, most were all-in on Tunsil," Fowler said.
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It's not hard to see what some of those NFL sources are talking about. In 2021, Samuel recorded over 1,400 receiving yards. He had become one of the best offensive weapons in the NFL.
Since that season, though, Samuel has dealt with major injuries and ineffective play. This offseason, it came to a head when the San Francisco 49ers shipped him off to Washington.
There's still a chance that Samuel can be a dependable receiving threat for the Commanders. He has a young star in Jayden Daniels throwing him the football.
But hits take their toll in the NFL. Samuel isn't the same player he once was, and that could lead some to believe that he is more of a gamble than Washington realizes.
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At the very least, the reviews surrounding at least one of Washington's trades are mixed.
Related: Commanders' 2nd-Round Pick Earns Offseason Rookie Honor
Related: NFL Legend Adrian Peterson Poker Game Fight Video Going Viral
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
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