Deebo Samuel Debuts for Commanders With 19-Yard Burst in Preseason Opener

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel made his first appearance for the Washington Commanders in Monday night’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, taking the field less than a month after Washington acquired the two-time Pro Bowler from the San Francisco 49ers. Samuel opened the Commanders’ offense with a 19-yard jet-sweep rush before giving way to running back Chris Rodriguez, who followed with a 40-yard gain. The early touches highlighted head coach Dan Quinn’s plans to integrate the versatile receiver immediately into a retooled attack that will be built around rookie quarterback Drake Maye. The exhibition marked the first time Samuel had worn a color other than 49ers red since entering the league in 2019. While preseason statistics do not count toward regular-season totals, sportsbooks have already set Samuel’s over-under for 2025 receiving yards at 650.5, underscoring the league-wide focus on how he will be used in Washington’s offense.