The Washington Commanders are preparing for free agency to unofficially begin on Monday afternoon, and are simultaneously bracing for loss.
While the Commanders entered the 2024 offseason looking to attract any player they could to upgrade a four-win team, they'll enter the 2025 offseason with some players at risk of losing for bigger paydays elsewhere.
One of those players is receiver Dyami Brown who will become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday afternoon if not re-signed before then, and is free to start negotiating with other teams as early as Monday afternoon at the start of the NFL's open-negotiating period. If Washington doesn't retain Brown, it may risk seeing him thrive elsewhere.
"Every offense needs a vertical threat on the perimeter with speed to burn and big-play potential. Brown fits the bill as a deep-ball specialist with spectacular separation skills down the field. Though he has posted modest regular-season numbers (59 catches, 784 yards and four scores) throughout his career, his postseason heroics (he racked up 14 catches, 229 yards and a score during the Commanders' 2024 run) suggest he could take off in a vertical offense with more opportunities," NFL.com's Bucky Brooks says of Brown's future outlook. "Given a chance to settle in as WR2 in a "bombs away" attack, Brown could become the impact player some envisioned when he was selected by Washington with the 82nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft."
As Brooks described, Brown's postseason production in three games nearly eclipsed his regular season, in which the receiver played in 16 of the team's 17 contests.
The good news for teams out there is that while they may be willing to sign Brown for more money than the Commanders can offer, and for a bigger role, if he delivers on the promise shown in 2024 they'll be getting a bargain of a deal.
Washington has already taken steps to improve the receiver room even if it does lose Brown, by agreeing to a trade that will make San Francisco 49ers' receiver Deebo Samuel a part of the team at the start of the new league year.
