Deebo Samuel was enjoying a online game on Wednesday when his brother referred to as, eager to know if he had labored out. It was one other signal to the receiver that everybody round him was encouraging him to be at his greatest.
Samuel does not even want that additional push.
Lower than three weeks after becoming a member of the Washington Commanders in a commerce from San Francisco and within the close to fast aftermath of normal supervisor Adam Peters and his agent transforming his contract for subsequent season to ensure a big sum of cash, the 29-year-old foreshadowed that his new workforce is getting a participant fired as much as make an influence.
“They’re getting a motivated Deebo,” Samuel mentioned Thursday in his introductory video name with reporters.
“I’m very motivated. I’m simply able to get again to work. I’m simply able to get round a bunch of men, meet with the gamers and we simply go from there.”
On March 1, the Commanders acquired Samuel from the 49ers — the one NFL workforce he had performed for till now — for the meager value of a fifth-round decide. On Wednesday, they renegotiated the ultimate yr of his deal to ensure his $17 million wage and supply one other $3 million in potential incentives.
That meant rather a lot to Samuel, who has lots to show after just a few seasons of his manufacturing dropped off from being an All-Professional choice in 2021.
“It simply sort of exhibits what they suppose,” Samuel mentioned. “For me on my finish, it’s identical to they put this a lot belief in me to do the issues they so far as my contract. I can’t are available right here and allow them to down. I’ve obtained to provide it my all. I’ve obtained to do all of the issues that I have to do to be one of the best model of myself after I come right here.”
Samuel was at his greatest 4 years in the past when he had 77 catches for 1,405 yards and 6 landing receptions and ran for 365 yards and eight extra touchdowns. He has not reached 900 yards in a season since and is coming off a down yr of 51 catches for 670 yards and a mean of simply 3.2 on the bottom on 42 carries whereas coping with accidents.
A change of surroundings was within the offing, with that understanding reaching from Samuel to Niners GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan.
“On the finish of the day, we each understood,” Samuel mentioned. “He may really feel the place I used to be coming from. I may really feel the place he was coming from, as properly, so we obtained thus far now.”
Requested by his agent for his prime 5 decisions, Samuel had Washington on his checklist, partially as a result of it isn’t removed from the place he grew up in South Carolina, and he has some household close by in Baltimore. There was additionally the motivation of enjoying with quarterback Jayden Daniels and prime receiver Terry McLaurin.
“It’s sort of near house, a extremely good workforce, a extremely good quarterback,” Samuel mentioned. “Terry [has] been enjoying on the prime of his recreation for the previous six years. We’re happening seven, so that they sort of take into account us outdated, however I don’t take into account us outdated. These younger legs are nonetheless shifting. This physique’s nonetheless working fairly properly. I’m simply able to get to work.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
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