Editor’s note: Most of Washington’s offseason moves have been made. General manager Adam Peters may have a few more tricks up his sleeve, especially with a salary-cap cushion available to him. We at Hogs Haven have some suggestions about how to spend his extra cash in this “Commanders should sign” series. In this installment, we make a case for receiver Stefon Diggs
The Commanders need receiver help. Like, really bad. Adding Clemson product Antonio Williams in the third round of the NFL draft didn’t
alleviate it, despite his expected instant impact.
Terry McLaurin is an obvious No. 1 receiver, in an elite class eligible to a select few. Washington needs a threat opposite him, which is why the Brandon Aiyuk storyline never says die.
The 49ers haven’t released him yet and the Commanders won’t trade for a clearly disgruntled and uncooperative receiver who won’t play for San Francisco again.
It sure seems like Peters will win this game of chicken with his willingness to wait. Even if there’s leverage in that stance, should the Commanders go big on a talented, yet mercurial receiver in Aiyuk who hasn’t played since 2024 and hasn’t starred since a 2013 campaign where he had 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns?
Maybe. But also maybe not.
Especially with Stefon Diggs on the open market.
There are several pros to signing the steadily productive veteran pass catcher. For one, dude’s from the DMV. The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native and University of Maryland alum is proud of his roots and might be drawn to a team with potential that he could push over the top.
While he doesn’t seem close to a decision, the local ties could give Washington an advantage.
“I’m familiar with the city,” Diggs said on May 9 at a charity event for his Diggs Deep Foundation, via 980-AM The Team. “I’m familiar with the people, so we’re going to see down the pipe over these next couple months what looks good, what makes sense. I definitely want to shed some light on them and I might go check them out for a little bit. It’s love. It’s hometown, so it makes sense. But, right now (I’m taking) a breath. I’ve been training and doing everything I’m supposed to but I’m more targeting on the charitable stuff right now, and everything else will fall into place.”
Signing Diggs will likely cost the Commanders eight figures, but they could get him for one or two years and without long-term salary-cap ramifications when they eventually must extend quarterback Jayden Daniels. That’s a plus.
So is having a reliable target working with McLaurin, and Diggs is certainly that. He has exceeded 1,000 receiving yards in all but one season since 2018 and has posted some monster numbers in that span. He had 1,013 yards on 85 catches last season in New England working with young quarterback Drake Maye and could have a similarly positive impact on Daniels.
Diggs has bounced from team to team in recent seasons, and his repuation suggests he can be a handful at times, but he could be worth the risk for a Commanders team looking to rebound from a bummer 2025 campaign.
Diggs dealt with legal troubles this offseason that are now in the rearview, so that’s no longer a detractor.
And while Aiyuk is an intriguing talent, Diggs seems more like a sure thing who can deliver for the Commanders in 2025. That’s why he’s probably worth a short-term overpay, to add an established offensive talent who has steadily produced.
What would you pay for Diggs? Would you take him over Aiyuk? Let us know in the comments below and by voting in this poll?
