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Washington needs help at WR, and one Panther could help initially appeared on NBC Sports Washington
When Ron Rivera landed the highest job with the Washington Soccer Staff, he introduced an entire lot of his former Carolina workforce alongside for the journey. Assistant coaches, medical employees, Rivera even traded for his previous Panthers backup QB.
This offseason it could make sense for Rivera to once more usher in one other former Panther.
Curtis Samuel, a second-round choose by Carolina in 2017, seems primed free of charge company in March and Washington needs to be concerned early in his recruitment.
Coming off a 1,050 total-yard breakout season, Samuel could have different suitors, however few can boast the familiarity of Rivera and offensive coordinator Scott Turner. They drafted him and labored with him for his first three NFL seasons.
For Washington, Samuel seems like an amazing praise to Terry McLaurin, each Ohio State alums.
Tormented by accidents his first two years within the NFL, Samuel has missed one recreation within the final two seasons. He is additionally emerged as a menace within the run recreation; he is averaged greater than 150 yards speeding within the final two seasons. With 12 whole touchdowns within the final two seasons Samuel additionally has a nostril for the top zone.
Samuel appeared to essentially discover his stride within the second half of the 2020 season.
Within the Panthers final eight video games, he posted three video games with greater than 100-yards and had not less than 5 catches in six video games. When Carolina beat Washington in Week 16, Samuel posted 5 catches for 106 yards and one other seven carries for 52 yards.
Return to a few of Rivera’s previous quotes on Samuel and an image will get painted that makes a Washington reunion between the 2 appear believable.
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Rivera on Samuel – March 2019 – “You see him going earlier than apply to catch balls. You see him catching balls after apply. He is received coaches that keep after and throw the ball to him. It jogs my memory a bit little bit of what Josh Norman discovered to do throughout his profession and I believed that was actually spectacular.”
Rivera talking on D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel – August 2019 – “I believe Curtis, DJ Moore, I believe these guys don’t have ceilings. I believe these guys can change into actually, actually good gamers. I’m excited to look at them maintain creating.”
Clearly in free company value turns into a serious consideration, and whereas Washington tried to present out an enormous contract to WR Amari Cooper final offseason, he determined to remain in Dallas.
After that, Rivera’s workforce went the cut price route in free company and did nicely with team-friendly offers for Logan Thomas, J.D. McKissic and Wes Schweitzer.
This offseason the largest WR names accessible in free company will probably be Allen Robinson and JuJu Smith-Schuster, in all probability adopted by Kenny Golladay and Will Fuller. Of that group, at age 25, Samuel is youthful than all however Smith-Schuster.
It is also vital to notice that final offseason Rivera and his employees didn’t know what that they had in McLaurin, who was coming off a powerful rookie season however was hardly a positive factor. This 12 months, after the primary 1,000-yard receiving season in Washington since 2016, McLaurin has cemented his function as WR1 in Washington.
With that in thoughts, Rivera won’t really feel the necessity to dole out $19 million a season for Robinson, which in keeping with the web site Spotrac is Robinson’s assumed market worth.
Samuel’s assumed market worth? $12 million per season.
Rivera usually talks about wanting to seek out younger gamers on the best way up, to push that growth into stars. That is Samuel. Robinson and Smith-Schuster are already established as stars.
Plus, relying what occurs at quarterback for Washington, the cap area might get tight. League extensive the wage cap is anticipated to drop for the 2021 season after Covid lowered revenues in 2020, and Washington has main selections to make because it regards to Alex Smith’s future and Professional Bowl guard Brandon Scherff.
Washington has a number of cap area – greater than $33 million to be actual, sixth-most within the NFL – however that would get devoured up quick if the workforce strikes so as to add a veteran QB whereas nonetheless coping with Smith’s contract.
After watching Cam Sims and Dontrelle Inman for the 2020 season, Rivera is aware of he wants extra expertise at extensive receiver to repeat as NFC East champ. However after watching McLaurin for the 2020 season, Rivera may additionally know he would not have to interrupt the financial institution to get a star. He already has one.
Add Samuel to the combination, and issues might get actually attention-grabbing.
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