The Washington Commanders must feel lucky.
On Wednesday, the Commanders added a No. 2 wide receiver to pair with WR Terry McLaurin and quarterback Jayden Daniels. They didn’t break the bank while doing so.
Commanders potentially landed a huge steal with Stefon Diggs signing
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Commanders signed Diggs to a one-year deal worth up to $12M (h/t Yahoo Sports). That’s a decent bargain for the four-time Pro Bowl WR. Spotrac estimated his market value at $13.8M annually for a two-year deal.
Teams likely passed on Diggs, who turns 33 on Nov. 29, due to concerns about his age and a legal situation. His former personal chef accused him of assault and strangulation. In May, a Massachusetts jury found him not guilty of these charges. The NFL subsequently informed Diggs that it wouldn’t punish him after an investigation concluded that he hadn’t violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
Stefon Diggs’ one-year deal to return home to the DMV with the Commanders is worth up to $12 million, per @AdamSchefter. pic.twitter.com/mqngd1jrsJ
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 5, 2026
WRs tend to decline as they age. Diggs, though, remains confident he can still produce at this point in his career. The WR said, “You can’t name a No. 2 better than me” on his YouTube channel in July.
It’s hard to argue against his claim. Since 2023, Diggs ranks 17th in the NFL in receiving yards per game (64.1) and is tied for 21st in touchdown catches (15).
Last season, he rebounded from an ACL tear suffered in 2024 while playing for the Houston Texans and helped the New England Patriots reach Super Bowl LX. He ranked 12th in the league in receptions (85 in 17 regular-season games) and 16th in receiving yards (1,013), finishing fifth in Comeback Player of the Year voting.
Diggs should be an upgrade over former Commanders No. 2 WR Deebo Samuel (now with the San Francisco 49ers). Samuel struggled to generate explosive plays in 2025, averaging a career-low 10.1 yards per reception (72 receptions for 727 receiving yards) in 16 games.
The Commanders’ success in 2026 still hinges on 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Daniels avoiding injuries. Elbow and knee issues limited him to seven games in 2025.
If Daniels avoids injuries, he, Diggs and two-time Pro Bowler McLaurin could form an explosive trio that propels Washington back into Super Bowl contention after a 5-12 2025 season. That would make adding Diggs an even smarter buy for Washington.
Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.
