"He looks out of shape" - NFL fans react to Deebo Samuel's viral route-running video at Commanders minicamp

Deebo Samuel will begin a new chapter of his career in 2025, as he plays beside Jayden Daniels, Brian Robinson Jr. and Terry McLaurin with the Washington Commanders. On Wednesday, the first footage of him with the burgundy and gold emerged.

Scott Abraham, reporter for ABC's DC-area affiliate WJLA 7, managed to catch the one-time All-Pro/Pro Bowl wide receiver running a couple of routes during minicamp (the video has so far been viewed 456,000 times):

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However, there was much ridicule:

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More of it can be seen below:

"Got that Eddie Lacy body forming," one compared.

"Bro need play LB now," another implored.

"Bro looks like he had one too many baconators this offseason," another wondered.

Samuel's backfield partner, Terry McLaurin, was a notable absence amidst a contract holdout. Reacting to the situation, he said:

"I understand the business side of the things, and when he stopped coming, I understand his side of the story."

Deebo Samuel draws mixed projections heading into the Commanders' debut

If Deebo Samuel returns to his top-tier physical fitness, the Commanders should be getting a deadly dual-threat playmaker who can both carry and catch the ball. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin foresees a "potential steal" manifesting from him:

"Is Samuel a durable game-breaker going on 30? Maybe. Maybe not. Still... it's just nice to see this team isn't sitting on its hands with the dynamic Jayden Daniels under center."

Meanwhile, ESPN's Bill Barnwell is much more skeptical, given it has been three years since he exploded for 1,405 yards in 2021 - something he believes is unlikely to happen again in his career. Still, he has reasonable hopes for one of the league's best yards-after-catch specialists, who has finished first thrice consecutively in that metric.

"Samuel will create a few big plays out of nothing and run through a few defenders," Barnwell said. "He's going to drop a few more passes than you would like and miss a couple of games each season, but that's perfectly reasonable for a WR2. He will do well with the high quantity of screens and RPOs the Commanders ran last season."

The Commanders begin their season against the New York Giants on September 7. Kickoff is at 1 pm ET on Fox.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

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Edited by Alvin Amansec