The Indianapolis Colts are still trying to determine who will be the team's third option at wide receiver entering 2026 after Michael Pittman Jr. was traded this past offseason. Ashton Dulin appears to have the advantage at WR3 currently, but he likely isn't the best option available to the team.
The other options might not even be on the roster yet, but exist as free agents. One of those is Deebo Samuel, a 30-year-old player who was one-and-done with the Washington Commanders in 2025. Before that, he was relatively successful with the San Francisco 49ers.
Samuel is a different kind of wideout, though, one that might fit perfectly with the Colts. He isn't a pure outside receiver, and he's definitely not going to take Josh Downs' job in the slot, but Samuel can line up in different ways, including spelling Jonathan Taylor in the backfield at times. In 2021, for instance, Samuel had eight rushing touchdowns for the 49ers.
Indianapolis Colts should place a call to wide receiver Deebo Samuel
In just one of his seven seasons in the NFL, he has had more than 892 receiving yards, and that was when he had 1,405 in 2021. But he has caught 66.7 percent of his targets during his career, so he is a safe option, too.
With the Commanders last season, Samuel didn't truly have a chance to be his best. Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels was injured early, as was fellow receiver Terry McLaurin, so what was expected to be a good offense never developed. Samuel was a poor fit in the offense because the other pieces that would have augmented his performance weren't playing next to him.
The somewhat surprising bit is that the former 49ers and Commanders player is still a free agent. He isn't old enough to be forced into retirement, one would think, and he hasn't been incredibly ineffective. While he has been strong-headed about his teams at times, he has been the kind of culture cancer that former teammate Brandon Aiyuk is in San Francisco.
Deebo Samuel would absolutely be an upgrade over anyone on the Indianapolis Colts roster at wide receiver not named Alec Pierce or Josh Downs. He would effectively give the team another threat that defenses have to account for and can help disguise Shane Steichen's alignments, even potentially lining up both Samuel and Jonathan Taylor in the backfield at times.
The only real concern is the potential cost of signing Samuel. According to Spotrac, the receiver's market value is $15.8 million in each of the next two years. That seems high based on no one yet snatching up Samuel and his age. $10 million a season, though? The Colts should make that offer soon.
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