Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel has been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys due to a bruised heel that has bothered him for the past two games.
The injury leaves the Commanders (3-3) and quarterback Jayden Daniels without their top three wideouts. Terry McLaurin (quad) will miss his fourth straight game, and Noah Brown (groin) was placed on injured reserve earlier this week after sitting out the previous four contests.
Samuel leads Washington with 34 receptions for 315 yards and three touchdowns. He admitted Friday that his heel injury has been “aggravating.” In McLaurin and Brown’s absence, Samuel became the centerpiece of the Commanders’ passing game, catching 18 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns over the last three games. However, he appeared slowed by the injury during Monday’s 25-24 loss to Chicago, where he managed just 15 yards on four catches.
With Samuel out, Washington will turn to young receivers Luke McCaffrey (second year) and rookie Jaylin Lane, along with veteran Chris Moore. McCaffrey currently leads the group with eight catches.
The Commanders could also promote veteran Robbie Chosen from the practice squad. They recently signed former first-round pick Treylon Burks (selected 18th overall by Tennessee in 2022) to the practice squad, where Jacoby Jones and Ja’Corey Brooks — who was elevated Monday — are also available.
Tight end Zach Ertz has been another key target, recording 20 receptions for 192 yards this season. Given the depleted receiving corps, Washington may rely heavily on rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt to attack Dallas’s 29th-ranked run defense.
