Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!
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Articles
The Athletic (paywall)
Why the names Brandon Aiyuk and Stefon Diggs still hang over the Commanders
[R]osters aren’t solidified in June. The lack of production from last season doesn’t account for the fact that the team took wideout Antonio Williams from Clemson in the third round of April’s draft. Chig Okonkwo, a free-agent signee, gives quarterback
Jayden Daniels a more dynamic element at tight end. And so much of the Commanders’ offensive potential hangs on Daniels’ health, which could easily be identified as the most important element for 2026.
But there’s a reason why the names Brandon Aiyuk and Stefon Diggs still hang over the offseason. It’s because — and here’s your quiz answer — Dyami Brown, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks and Jacoby Jones don’t collectively scream, “We’re fine here.”
[U]ntil Aiyuk either returns to the San Francisco 49ers (which isn’t happening) or is cut, and Diggs, who helped the New England Patriots to an AFC championship a year ago, signs with another team, Commanders fans have the right to wonder: Why not kick the tires?
If [Brandon Aiyuk] really wants out of San Francisco — and it’s apparent that he does — then all he has to do is show up for one of the 49ers’ offseason workouts. Step on the field, and there are people who believe the Niners would cut him instantly because they don’t want to be responsible for paying him in 2026 should he get hurt in the offseason.
Diggs’ ties to Washington aren’t to the quarterback or the front office, but to the city itself. He grew up in nearby Montgomery County, Md., and played college ball at Maryland. A free agent, he caught 85 balls for 1,013 yards in 2025, a season in which he turned 32. He may be on the back end of his career, but that career has featured seven 1,000-yard seasons in the last eight years. He can still play.
Would signing Diggs make the Commanders’ receiving corps a strength? No. Would it take some heat off a group of pass catchers that currently doesn’t have its top two players in receptions from a year ago, Deebo Samuel and Zach Ertz? Yes. Those 122 catches come from somewhere.
Bullock’s Film Room (subscription)
Can Treylon Burks Win Commanders WR2 Battle?
Through the first two weeks of OTAs, it appears as though Treylon Burks is the receiver standing out the most. Most local beat reporters have stated that Burks is getting most of the reps opposite McLaurin and when you see videos from practice, it’s typically Burks that comes up second in the receiver running order after McLaurin. As a former first round pick, Burks is obviously a talented receiver. The issues for him in Tennessee mostly revolved around struggling to stay healthy. So if he can stay healthy, could he earn that second spot in the Commanders wide receiver rankings?
To judge that, we first need to see what new offensive coordinator David Blough is likely looking for from a receiver like Burks. Burks is listed at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds and is probably best suited to playing an outside receiver role in this offense. With McLaurin locking down the X receiver role, that leaves the Z receiver spot open. So what does Blough want from a Z receiver? Only he knows the actual answer to that question, but we do know that his offense is likely to be heavily influenced from his time in Detroit under Ben Johnson. So looking back at that 2023 Lions offense, how did they use the Z receiver?
One of the themes of the Lions offense in 2023 was how they leaned on an interior trio of running back Jahmyr Gibbs, tight end Sam LaPorta and slot receiver Amon-Ra St.Brown. Those three carried a lot of the load working underneath and over the middle of the field. The Z receiver in that offense became a secondary option after those guys, but often you’d see the Lions use those three underneath as bait to open up a deeper crossing route for the Z receiver.
Another theme for how the Lions used their Z receiver was play-action passes. In 2023, the Lions often used multiple tight end sets, leaving just one or two receivers on the field a lot of the time. Those receivers would get a lot of catches down the field and over the middle on play-action passes.
Burks showed he was capable of doing that type of job too.
The Athletic (paywall)
For Terry McLaurin and the Commanders, the joy of football is back
McLaurin has always been a leader of Washington’s offense and the team overall. But his play and his demeanor have been noticeably infectious so far this offseason. It was seen in the early portion of practice, when McLaurin prepared the same way he always has by catching dozens of balls up high, down low and over his shoulder along the sideline to reinforce his eye-tracking.
After practice, he was on the Jugs machine doing more of the same, catching passes on one knee, over a trash can and beyond his comfortable radius again and again and again.
“He sets the tone for the group,” offensive coordinator David Blough said.
The on-field rapport between McLaurin and Daniels in the early going of OTAs has stood out; Daniels connected with him on a deep ball last week during 7-on-7 that Quinn believes was a prime example of the work they’ve put in to refine their timing and communication.
But much of McLaurin’s renewed ardor is also tied to the Commanders’ new offensive scheme. Although McLaurin had success in Kliff Kingsbury’s system, Blough’s offense allows the receiver to move around more, playing inside and outside on both sides. Defenses can’t bank on McLaurin simply lining up on the left side or playing primarily the “X” receiver split out wide.
The movement forces defense to play more “honest,” as McLaurin describes it.
“Just having those types of variations in your route tree is just an unbelievable weapon to have as a receiver,” he said. “And so now we’re just trying to home in on the details, be where we need to be to make sure that we’re on the same page with the quarterback. So it’s just been really fun and refreshing just to be able to be moved around all parts of the football field.”
The Commanders need that version of McLaurin — both as a teacher and playmaker — for the 2026 season. They have a vision of getting back at least some of the success they had in 2024, and a motivated McLaurin helps make that reality. McLaurin has been that version of himself, and like the rest of the atmosphere around the team facility, it creates more confidence for what the team can accomplish in the fall.
“He is working incredibly hard, and every time he is out there, he’s making plays and showing the energy, the play style that we want to be all about,” Blough said. “So, he’s been excellent.”
Terry McLaurin’s career stats – McLaurin was selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft and quickly became one of the Commanders’ best players. Below are his stats since joining the NFL:
- Receptions: 498
- Receiving yards: 6,961
- Receiving touchdowns: 41
- Yards per reception: 14.0
- Accolades: 2x Pro Bowler, 1x Second-team All-Pro
- Games played: 107
Moving Terry McLaurin around can help Antonio Williams start faster
Williams, for his part, adds another layer to that equation. He projects as primarily a slot receiver, but he showed the ability to win from the outside at Clemson as well. His versatility, combined with McLaurin’s expanded usage, gives Blough the flexibility to create mismatches across the board rather than relying on one player in one spot.
Commanders Roundtable
Washington’s New Offense Could Be The Perfect Opportunity for Speedster Jaylin Lane
“I think Lane is taking that step that you’d hope to see a player take from year one to year two of what it can be,” Quinn told reporters Tuesday at Commanders Park. That’s not a throwaway line. When a head coach specifically singles out a second-year receiver by name in a room that includes a third-round draft pick and multiple veterans competing for reps, it means something showed up on the practice field that earned it.
The leap from year one to year two is where receivers either validate the pick or get buried on the depth chart. Lane’s combine profile hasn’t changed — the 4.34 speed, the 40-inch vertical, the 11-foot broad jump are all still there — but what shows up at OTAs has clearly evolved. Concentration was the knock on his rookie season. The drops weren’t about hands; they were about focus arriving late in the catch point. By all accounts from Ashburn this week, that isn’t the version of Lane showing up in June.
Blough’s system — built around pre-snap motion, RPO concepts, and getting athletes in space quickly — is tailor-made for a receiver with Lane’s profile. Short-to-intermediate throws that put the ball in his hands with room to run are exactly where his speed and elite change-of-direction ability become problems for defenses. He doesn’t need to win on vertical routes to be effective, although he has shown he can beat defenders down the field. He needs to catch the ball cleanly and do what he’s always done after the catch.
Lane’s versatility is also a key here. He can line up in the slot, split wide, work in motion pre-snap, and take jet sweeps off designed runs — all things Blough’s scheme uses to manufacture easy completions and stress defensive alignment. Lance Zierlein called him a “semi-versatile slot option with legitimate long speed and talent to add yardage with the ball in his hands” coming out of the draft. That description fits Blough’s offense better than it fits Kliff Kingsbury’s.
Riggo’s Rag
Wes Welker could make all the difference for Commanders’ rookie Antonio Williams
Head coach Dan Quinn’s staff looks a lot different from how it did in 2025. In addition to the laundry list of entirely new faces, several positional coaches were promoted into bigger roles with the franchise. One of those is Wes Welker, who goes from a personnel analyst to an offensive assistant.
He was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, leading the league in receptions on three different occasions during his 12-year career. Now, Tom Brady’s onetime favorite target seems to have found himself a protege.
Welker is the exact prototype Washington needs to mold Williams into, and he’ll get to develop under the man himself. Throughout his career, the undrafted free agent was known for his steady route-running and trustworthy hands (okay, except for that time in Super Bowl XLVI). A weapon like that for the Commanders would change their entire offense.
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Bleeding Green Nation
Josh Sweat trade rumors get cold water poured on them
The former Eagle is not returning to Philly
As we noted last week, there’s been some buzz about the Philadelphia Eagles trading for Josh Sweat since he’s apparently unhappy with his situation as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.
It turns out that Sweat will not be on the move at all, according to a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport:
This has gained some steam on social media, so just to provide some clarity: #AZCardinals edge rusher Josh Sweat is not being traded. Not to the #Packers or anywhere. Carry on…
So, there you have it.
The Athletic (paywall)
OBJ was given no assurances he’ll make the Giants; he’ll need to earn it
The plan is not to spend the offseason devoting a disproportionate amount of attention to a veteran wide receiver battling for a roster spot. But I’ll make an exception for Odell Beckham Jr.’s first open practice back with the New York Giants after a seven-year odyssey led him to a reunion he called “surreal” on Wednesday.
Some rust was evident early in practice when Beckham failed to generate any separation from cornerback Deonte Banks on a go route. Backup quarterback Jameis Winston uncorked a bomb down the sideline, but Beckham couldn’t make the catch through Banks’ tight coverage. The players hit the ground, and a frustrated Beckham was slow to get up.
Beckham said it was “unsettling in my soul” for his career to potentially end as it did in Miami. He was out of the league last season, serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs as a free agent.
There have been no assurances to Beckham in his comeback, as he’ll need to fight just to earn a roster spot. Beckham relayed a message from coach John Harbaugh during their many conversations about a possible return.
“He was like, ‘I love you so much; I’ve got so much respect for you. I don’t want to bring you here and have to cut you,’ or whatever,” Beckham said. “I’m like, ‘Listen, I’m going out on my sword either way it goes.’”
ESPN
2026 NFL offseason: Early trade deadline candidates to move
Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, New York Giants
It feels like he has been on these types of lists forever, but the Giants haven’t traded him yet and still say he’s in their 2026 plans despite drafting Arvell Reese at No. 5. (Reese can play linebacker while the Giants sort out their options at edge rusher.)
Thibodeaux is making $14.751 million this year in the fifth-year option season of his rookie contract. Teams aren’t too keen on the idea of that kind of money for a player whose playing time and production have tailed off since his big 2023 season (11.5 sacks). But if Thibodeaux starts strong and the Giants either aren’t contending or believe they should trade from a strength to fortify a weakness, other teams could take a look at the 25-year-old once there isn’t so much money left on his deal.
I know New England is brought up every time we talk about teams that could be looking for edge rush help, but it does still feel like that’s what it needs. And you know the Giants aren’t trading him to the Cowboys!
NFL.com
Seven NFL teams that addressed glaring weaknesses this offseason: Bengals, Cowboys, Ravens boosted D
WEAKNESS: Offensive defense
For the second straight year, Dallas’ defense was a legitimate liability in 2025, allowing the most points (30.1 per game) and third-most yards (377.0 per game) in the league, as well as the highest success rate (47.6%) and EPA/play (0.13) to opposing offenses. Then the Cowboys traded away two defensive tackles and lost three linebackers (two to free agency and one to retirement).
But Jerry Jones and Co. didn’t sit idly this offseason. They traded for edge rusher Rashan Gary and linebacker Dee Winters, signed multiple defensive backs and defensive linemen and then drafted five defensive players in the first four rounds, including defensive back Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23. They also replaced DC Matt Eberflus with Vic-Fangio disciple Christian Parker. Between new personnel and new scheme, Dallas has prioritized solving its defensive woes and laid the groundwork for a resurgence in 2026.
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Pro Football Talk
Report: Kayshon Boutte interested in a trade
While on an episode of his podcast after the Brown trade became official, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that Kayshon Boutte has been interested in a trade this offseason. Boutte has not been taking part in the team’s voluntary wideouts over the last few weeks.
Boutte is entering the final year of his rookie deal after posting 76 catches for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns over the last two seasons. The presence of Brown and free agent acquisition Romeo Doubs would seem to lower the odds of the Patriots making another long-term investment in a wideout while also working against Boutte having a big year in New England.
Boutte has been productive in a part-time role for the Patriots, catching nine touchdowns over the past two seasons. He turned 24 last month. The 2023 sixth-round pick has just one year left on his contract at $3.674 million, and the acquisitions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs might just make things too crowded in New England’s wide receiver room.
The Patriots have received calls on Boutte and likely will continue to do so. And as always, unless and until we see a contract extension, we’re justified in wondering whether the player is in the team’s long-term plans. The Raiders and Commanders stand out as two teams that could still use help at wide receiver.
Discussion topics
Too Deep Zone
Obligatory, Perfunctory A.J. Brown and Myles Garrett Trade Analysis
Analysis of the Garrett trade boils down to: the rich get richer, the dumb get dumber. The trade was the most All-In move since the last Rams All-In move. The Rams aren’t playing poker; they are playing infinite solitaire. The Browns are playing Chutes and Ladders.
So the Brown trade was about as suspenseful as the obituary for a 99-year-old celebrity, while the Garrett trade feels like a tax break for billionaire slumlords. What can I possibly write about these trades that sounds fresh and inspired? Nothing!
Loser: Jared Verse
One minute, you are in Tinseltown making room on your finger for a Super Bowl ring. The next minute, you’re pricing McMansions in Pepper Pike and shaking hands with a ball boy who turns out to be Dillon Gabriel. Sorry, Jared: you must suffer so Garrett can thrive.
Loser: Kayshon Boutte
The Patriots are going to have to trade one of their receivers. It won’t be Mack Hollins, who doubles as a special teams ace. Nor Kyle Williams, a second-year player who provided a handful of splash plays in the second half of 2025. Nor Demario Douglas, a natural fit in the slot. No, it will be Boutte, who does roughly what both Brown and Romeo Doubs do, and also has reasonable Blue Book value.
They’re gonna ship you to the first team with an injury rash at wide receiver, Kayshon. If you are lucky, it will be the 49ers. If not, it will be …
Loser: Malik Nabers
Giants reporter Ryan Dunleavy posted video of Nabers “playing dodgeball” at a Brian Burns charity event. Nabers looked like a great uncle who just underwent hip replacement surgery trying to shag grounders at a Little League picnic.
The Giants took one look at that video and signed Juju Smith-Schuster, Braxton Berrios and Odell Beckham. Yes, Odell Beckham. Seriously, it sounds like Jim Harbaugh and Joe Schoen were just playing “name some guys,” but their secretary got mixed up and started dialing numbers. They might have contacted Julian Edelman, Brandon Marshall and Gunner Olszewski, too. Never mind: Olszewski is already on the roster.
Nabers’ knee is borked, folks.
Winners: The Sports Books
When doing your own analysis of the Garrett/Brown trades, remember that Garrett is replacing Verse, a Pro Bowl-caliber edge rusher in his own right. Garrett represents a marginal improvement, unlike Trent McDuffie, who filled a massive need. Marginal improvements are a big deal when a team is already a Super Bowl shortlister. But if you are penciling in two more wins for the Rams because of Garrett, your calculations may have always been a little off.
Also, the Patriots are still only getting a +1600 moneyline to win the Super Bowl. That’s because Brown is a wide receiver, not a schedule-maker.
