Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report argued this week that Samuel might be down to two realistic teams: the Chicago Bears or the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Jauan Jennings signing with the Vikings eliminated one of the more natural fits, and the post-draft landscape has narrowed the field considerably.
Samuel finished his one season in Washington with 72 receptions for 727 yards and five touchdowns despite losing quarterback Jayden Daniels to injury for large stretches, proving he can still be a reliable weapon in a compromised offensive environment.
He turned 30 in January, and the hybrid superstar version of him that ran for 365 yards and eight touchdowns in his 2021 All-Pro season is not coming back.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers hired Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator, and Samuel had the best season of his career under McDaniel's guidance in San Francisco in 2021, when McDaniel was Kyle Shanahan's offensive coordinator.
Los Angeles has $45.8 million in cap space, the third-most in the league, so they could absolutely afford him.
Samuel alongside Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston would give Justin Herbert a proven playmaker with quick-game and gadget-play experience that fits what McDaniel runs.
🚨EXCLUSIVE: FA All-Pro WR Deebo Samuel has been working with renowned coach David Robinson he tells @MLFootball.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) May 12, 2026
David says: “He is in the best shape of his life & has plenty of juice left in the tank ready to help the next team he is with be productive” pic.twitter.com/7DEfHHcbF0
The counterargument is that Samuel's 2021 numbers look increasingly like an outlier.
He has surpassed 800 receiving yards just once since that season and never surpassed 900. His rushing impact is essentially gone, with only 17 carries for 75 yards last season.
If the Chargers are going to spend on an older receiver, the case for Keenan Allen, who has an established relationship with both Herbert and McDaniel, is at least as strong.
Chicago Bears
ESPN's Aaron Schatz identified the slot receiver position as the Bears' biggest remaining hole following the 2026 draft, with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III set as the top two options but no reliable third receiver in the rotation.
Samuel posted the second-best catch percentage of his career in 2025 at 72.7 percent, and his ability to threaten from the slot would give Caleb Williams a veteran underneath option this offense currently lacks.
The Bears only have about $6.1 million in effective cap space when accounting for the money needed to sign their seven draft picks.
Start, Bench, Cut 🏈
— SleeperCommanders (@SleeperWSH) May 12, 2026
🔸 Deebo Samuel Sr.
🔸 Stefon Diggs
🔸 Brandon Aiyuk
Who are you letting go? 👇#RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/K1xiuGALwG
Chicago also traded D.J. Moore specifically to give Burden more opportunities, and signing Samuel would complicate that developmental philosophy.
General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have said their primary goal is to draft and develop young talent, and a Samuel signing would undo part of what the Moore trade was designed to accomplish.
The Chargers are the more realistic of the two destinations.
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
