The Washington Commanders are on the right path. They look primed for a postseason berth in Year 1 of a genuine tear-down rebuild. How the franchise kicks on during general manager Adam Peters' second offseason at the helm is crucial.
Peters has set the Commanders up for success. He's got seven draft picks and a little more than $100 million available to spend in free agency. More importantly, the presence of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and their quick ascension in 2024 makes Washington an attractive destination once again.
Daniels is the key. The signal-caller cemented his status among the NFL's elite with a mesmerizing performance against the Philadelphia Eagles. Maximizing his rookie contract is essential in the coming years.
Adding to Daniels' weapons in the passing game would be a good place to start. Terry McLaurin is thriving with a franchise-caliber presence under center. The cupboard is relatively devoid of quality aside from that, so finding the right pieces is essential to taking the Heisman Trophy winner's game to new heights.
Commanders urged to make a play for Stefon Diggs in free agency
This was a topic discussed by Matt Holder from The Bleacher Report. The analyst thought taking a gamble with someone like Stefon Diggs could be an option for the Commanders to consider. Whether it's something Peters would genuinely contemplate is another matter.
Washington has five unrestricted free agents at wideout this offseason, including Brown, Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus. So, the front office will be looking for a wideout to pair with Terry McLaurin to give [Jayden] Daniels another top target to throw to. According to Over The Cap, the organization will have nearly $100 million of cap space available in free agency, so it can go after a big fish. [Stefon] Diggs will be coming off a torn ACL, but he was a 1,000-yard receiver from 2018 to 2023 and might be interested in coming home to the D.C./Maryland area while playing for an ascending team.Matt Holder, The Bleacher Report
This doesn't look like a good fit in more ways than one. Diggs was immensely talented at the peak of his powers, but he'll be 32 years old next season with a lot of tread on the tires.
The former fifth-round selection is recovering from a torn ACL suffered eight games into his stint with the Houston Texans. Even if the wideout does make it back in time for summer camp, some explosiveness might have deserted him until proven otherwise.
There's also the small matter of Diggs' attitude to factor into the equation. The All-Pro isn't afraid to make things difficult when he isn't getting enough targets. He can be petulant and has fallen out with both Kirk Cousins and Josh Allen on his previous stops. This isn't in keeping with the locker room culture being built by head coach Dan Quinn.
Upon further examination of the possibility, the negatives far outweigh the positives where Diggs is concerned. The Commanders shouldn't rule anything out at this early stage, but it would be a bombshell of epic proportions if they went down this route.
Washington will revamp its receiving corps this offseason. Just don't expect Diggs to be one of them.
