Washington Football Team wide receiver Curtis Samuel is expected to come off the COVID-19 list at some point in the next week, but a nagging groin injury is still giving him trouble, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Samuel started training camp on the physically unable to perform list because of the groin injury. The 24-year-old is still nursing it back to health as Washington gets closer to its preseason debut against the New England Patriots on Thursday.
Washington head coach Ron Rivera addressed Samuel's injury situation:
“There's no timetable for Curtis. He's been in the system, he knows it. Yeah, you'd love for him to catch a few reps maybe in the last preseason game, but we're not going to rush him out there.”
Samuel is about to take part in his first season in the nation's capital. He signed a three-year deal with Washington after spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers.
Last season, Samuel caught a career-high 77 passes for 851 yards and three touchdowns. He caught a career-high six touchdowns in 2019.
Samuel joins Terry McLaurin and Adam Humphries as the top options at wide receiver for Washington. Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking over as the starting quarterback. Washington had one of the worst passing attacks in the NFL in 2020, so they're hoping some Fitzmagic can improve the team. The additions of Samuel and Humphries in the offseason give Fitzmagic more weapons next to McLaurin, but now Samuel needs to actually get back out on the field and be able to contribute.