This late into the offseason, it’s a little odd that Deebo Samuel has yet to find a landing spot. A second-round pick out of South Carolina by the 49ers in 2017, he blossomed into a star in San Francisco, peaking in 2021 with 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns.

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For a while, Samuel was one of the most dominant and versatile offensive players in the league, even getting some carries out of the backfield. He’s never been able to match the highs of his 2021 campaign, though, with just the one 1,000-yard season under his belt. After a 2024 season in which he had just 51 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns, the 49ers chose to move off his money and traded him to the Commanders.

The idea was for Washington to pair him with Terry McLaurin and add some offensive firepower fresh off a run to the NFC Championship Game. That never materialized for a lot of reasons, but Samuel was solid, posting 72 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns. The Commanders chose to move on from him this offseason, forcing Samuel to find a new team for the second time in as many offseasons.

So far, no one’s biting. But it would be a surprise if he simply didn’t play in 2026. He’ll find a new landing spot, probably on a one-year deal in the $8 million range.

Samuel, 30, is a former second-round pick of the 49ers out of South Carolina back in 2019. He was entering the fourth year of a four-year, $7,697,356 rookie contract that included a $3,618,076 signing bonus when he signed a three-year, $71.5 extension with $58.1 million guaranteed.

He was due a little over $17 million in the final year of that deal in 2025 but was traded to the Commanders before the 2025 season. He played out that deal and has been testing the market as an unrestricted free agent. 

In 2025, Samuel appeared in 16 games for the Commanders and caught 72 passes on 99 targets for 727 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed 17 times for 75 yards and a touchdown and returned 15 kicks for 452 yards.

We have him included in our Top 100 Available NFL Free Agents list. 

Las Vegas Raiders

Who will Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza be throwing the ball to? The Raiders drafted Mendoza No. 1 overall, signed Cousins to open the season as the starter to keep Mendoza from being thrown to the wolves right away, and reset the center market to add Tyler Linderbaum in free agency. They’re working overtime to provide Mendoza with the right environment, and TE Brock Bowers and RB Ashton Jeanty already form a strong foundation of skill talent.

But wide receiver is still a glaring weakness on this team. Tre Tucker broke out down the stretch last season, but he still has just 1,566 receiving yards in his three-year career. We’ll see if that was just a flash in the pan. The Raiders signed Jalen Nailor in free agency, an under-the-radar signing that could pay off, but he was a WR3 in Minnesota and it remains to be seen how he’ll adjust to a larger role.

Aside from Nailor and Tucker? 2025 second-round pick Jack Bech did little as a rookie and the OTA reporting on him wasn’t flattering. Dont’e Thornton Jr. hasn’t shown much yet, either. Samuel would immediately be Las Vegas’ best receiver but he wouldn’t be forced to carry the load on offense. That will fall to Bowers and Jeanty — Samuel would just be a much-needed talent upgrade on the outside. New Raiders HC Klint Kubiak overlapped with Samuel during the 2023 season in San Francisco, so there’s a connection to build off of. 

Chicago Bears

On paper, the Bears don’t need a receiver. Rome Odunze took over as Chicago’s WR1 last season and Luther Burden III is primed for a breakout. Plus, this team boasts one of the league’s most dangerous tight end rooms that runs three deep between Cole Kmet, Colston Loveland and third-rounder Sam Roush. They aren’t hurting for offensive weapons.

At the same time, Samuel would be a pretty seamless D.J. Moore replacement in an offense that doesn’t have a proven WR3. Behind Odunze and Burden, the Bears don’t have much depth at wide receiver. Offseason acquisition Kalif Raymond is the next man up, but he’s been used more on special teams in recent seasons. Behind him, it’s Scotty Miller and third-rounder Zavion Thomas.

Samuel and Moore have different skillsets, but as long as Samuel is willing to slide into a lower-usage role now, this would be a good landing spot for him. Burden is ready for a larger target share and Odunze is this lead man on the outside. It’s an arms race in the NFC right now, and the Bears can’t afford to lose either one of those guys. Samuel would be a great addition as depth and insurance.

Atlanta Falcons

I’m concerned with what the Falcons have at receiver. Drake London just got paid and he’s a proven WR1 in the NFL. He’s overcome poor quarterback play over the course of his career to be one of the more productive and physically imposing receivers in the league.

Aside from London, though, it’s bleak. The Falcons added former Commanders first-round pick Jahan Dotson in free agency and brought back Olamide Zaccheaus, as well as drafting Zachariah Branch in the third round. I liked Branch as a prospect and Zaccheus is a good utility player, but Dotson hasn’t produced since his rookie year and this isn’t the strongest supporting cast for London.

Not only would Samuel provide a major upgrade at Atlanta’s WR2 position, he’d be a great fit with Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa if he ends up winning the starting job. It seems Michael Penix Jr. is ahead of schedule on his rehab, so it’s not the lock it was once thought to be, but the most likely outcome here is Tagovailoa opens the season as Atlanta’s starting quarterback. Samuel owns the middle of the field and works wonders after the catch, an ideal match for the quick-game stuff Tagovailoa likes to run.

Other teams to watch: Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins