Commanders HC Dan Quinn makes bold statement on Jayden Daniels’ newest key weapon

Repeating last NFL season’s performance is a top priority for the Washington Commanders — and some are even dreaming of surpassing what Jayden Daniels and company accomplished. To help make that happen, head coach Dan Quinn added another potential weapon to the quarterback’s arsenal, and he was reportedly blown away by the newcomer’s physical traits.

Coming over from the San Francisco 49ers, Deebo Samuel has landed in the NFC East to join a team that’s still finding its footing — but one with serious expectations of improving on last year’s results.

While many believed the veteran wide receiver might no longer have the same explosiveness he once showed in the Bay Area, Dan Quinn expressed optimism to the media about what he can bring to his teammates.

“Somewhere along the way, I’d forgotten until [he was] out here how fast he is,” Commanders coach Dan Quinn said of Samuel, via the team’s official website.

Deebo Samuel Sr. #1 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium on December 30, 2024 in Santa Clara, California.

“I can remember one time he just ran by somebody down the field on a deep ball, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I forgot about that,'” Quinn also added. “So, it didn’t surprise me, but it was maybe [that] I missed talking about it to that space because I was easily reminded, he’s one of the fastest players on the team.”

see also

Commanders HC Dan Quinn speaks out on the situation of Jayden Daniels’ key weapon ahead of the 2025 NFL season

Quinn knows what Samuel brings to the table

Dan Quinn once served as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, a role in which he frequently faced off against the San Francisco 49ers — the very team where Deebo Samuel showcased the full range of his abilities as a wide receiver.

“He was such a difficult person to tackle that you spent so much time, ‘How are you going to tackle this person?'” Quinn said. “And so, sometimes when you’re playing against the receiver, you say, ‘Man, you better either get him at the line or you better be on top of him.’ With him, so many times there were so many runs after catch plays that we had a tackling plan, and how would you go about it?”

The fact is, the Commanders are set to field one of the most feared offenses in the upcoming season — and both head coach Quinn and quarterback Jayden Daniels will get to unleash that potential starting in Week 1.