Who Should I Start? Deebo Samuel or Xavier Johnson

Friday, March 21, 4:02 PM

Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. noted in his introductory conference with reporters via The Associated Press that the team is "getting a motivated Deebo." "I'm just ready to get back to work." said the seventh-year pro. "I'm just ready to get around a group of guys, meet with the players, and we just go from there." The 29-year-old hasn't quite reached the heights of his absurd 1,770-yard, 14-touchdown All-Pro season in 2021. However, he has provided a versatile chess piece in Kyle Shanahan's offenses over the years. The South Carolina product also stated that winning is a motivator for him, and he was impressed with the play of second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels during his first stint in the pros. Samuel Sr. should fit opposite teammate Terry McLaurin nicely, adding another playmaker to deploy in Washington's dynamic offense.

Wednesday, January 22, 7:23 PM

The Houston Texans announced on Wednesday that they signed wide receivers Xavier Johnson and Johnny Johnson III, guard Tremayne Anchrum Jr., cornerbacks Anthony Averett and Gregory Junior, defensive end Solomon Byrd, running backs Jawhar Jordan and J.J. Taylor, defensive tackle Jayden Peevy, quarterback Kedon Slovis and safety Russ Yeast to Reserve/Futures deals. Johnson signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency last offseason but was cut before the start of the regular season before latching on with Houston's practice squad in 2024. The 25-year-old Cincinnati native was never elevated to the Texans' active 53-man roster during the regular season and has yet to make his debut in the NFL. Johnson will now continue his development in Houston and will hope to make the active roster out of training camp this summer.