With training camps opening, a lot of players are starting out on either COVID or PUP lists. The season is six weeks away so it's not a big deal in most cases. But Curtis Samuel (groin) is one to keep an eye on, since the injury also sidelined him for the team's minicamp back in June. It's an issue he's still dealing with.
Samuel is one of Washington's most significant offseason additions, slated to be the No. 2 wideout taking some attention away from Terry McLaurin. He worked with coach Ron Rivera in Carolina, and signed a three-year, $34.5 million contract.
Besides the quarterback upgrade he should get (Washington also added Ryan Fitzpatrick), Samuel has the appeal of being both runner and receiver. Not only did he catch 77 passes last year, but he lined up in the backfield regularly, carrying it 41 times for 200 yards and 2 TDs. That was one of the top-10 rushing seasons by a wide receiver in the last 20 years.
Below are the top 30 rushing seasons by wide receivers since 2000 (using 1 point for every 10 rushing yards and 6 points for touchdowns). Of those 30, five came last season (in bold).
RUSHING WIDE RECEIVERS (since 2000) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Pts |
2015 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 52 | 434 | 8.4 | 4 | 67.4 |
2011 | Percy Harvin, MIn. | 52 | 345 | 6.6 | 2 | 46.5 |
2016 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 24 | 267 | 11.1 | 3 | 44.7 |
2009 | Josh Cribbs, Cle. | 55 | 381 | 6.9 | 1 | 44.1 |
2010 | Brad Smith, NYJ | 38 | 299 | 7.9 | 1 | 35.9 |
2014 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 36 | 224 | 6.2 | 2 | 34.4 |
2019 | Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 14 | 159 | 11.4 | 3 | 33.9 |
2013 | Cordarrelle Patterson, MIn. | 12 | 158 | 13.2 | 3 | 33.8 |
2017 | Tavon Austin, LAR | 59 | 270 | 4.6 | 1 | 33.0 |
2020 | Curtis Samuel, Car. | 41 | 200 | 4.9 | 2 | 32.0 |
2020 | Cordarrelle Patterson, Chi. | 64 | 232 | 3.6 | 1 | 29.2 |
2018 | Cordarrelle Patterson, N.E. | 42 | 228 | 5.4 | 1 | 28.8 |
2020 | Robert Woods, LAR | 24 | 155 | 6.5 | 2 | 27.5 |
2010 | Jacoby Ford, Oak. | 10 | 155 | 15.5 | 2 | 27.5 |
2000 | Peter Warrick, Cin. | 16 | 148 | 9.3 | 2 | 26.8 |
2009 | Brad Smith, NYJ | 18 | 207 | 11.5 | 1 | 26.7 |
2014 | Percy Harvin, Sea.-NYJ | 33 | 202 | 6.1 | 1 | 26.2 |
2002 | James Thrash, Phil. | 18 | 126 | 7.0 | 2 | 24.6 |
2020 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 13 | 123 | 9.5 | 2 | 24.3 |
2017 | Cordarrelle Patterson, Oak. | 13 | 121 | 9.3 | 2 | 24.1 |
2008 | Josh Cribbs, Cle. | 29 | 167 | 5.8 | 1 | 22.7 |
2016 | Tavon Austin, L.A. | 28 | 159 | 5.7 | 1 | 21.9 |
2018 | Robert Woods, LAR | 19 | 157 | 8.3 | 1 | 21.7 |
2018 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 22 | 151 | 6.9 | 1 | 21.1 |
2013 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 9 | 151 | 16.8 | 1 | 21.1 |
2018 | Curtis Samuel, Car. | 8 | 84 | 10.5 | 2 | 20.4 |
2020 | Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 6 | 77 | 12.8 | 2 | 19.7 |
2009 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 11 | 137 | 12.5 | 1 | 19.7 |
2008 | Ted Ginn, Mia. | 5 | 73 | 14.6 | 2 | 19.3 |
2015 | Mohamed Sanu, Cin. | 10 | 71 | 7.1 | 2 | 19.1 |
For now, too soon to get overly concerned about Samuel. As long as he's out there practicing fully by mid-August, no reason to ding him too much on the board. But just another injury to monitor over the next few weeks.
--Andy Richardson