Stefon Diggs Signs One-Year, $12 Million Deal With Commanders, Celebrates at Maryland Practice
The Washington Commanders spent the offseason searching for a proven wide receiver to pair with quarterback Jayden Daniels. On Wednesday, they got their man. Stefon Diggs agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $12 million with Washington, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The move gives Daniels a second legitimate target next to Terry McLaurin, addressing a hole that had followed the Commanders through most of training camp.
Diggs Delivers a Message From His Old Stomping Grounds
Hours after the deal came together, Diggs showed up at the University of Maryland’s first fall practice — his alma mater — and sent a message back to his new team. NFL insider Jordan Schultz posted the video on X.
“Stefon Diggs here. I’m here at Maryland’s first practice, the first fall practice,” Diggs said. “They out here getting it in, man. Shoutout to my Terps, and go, Commanders. Let’s go!”
Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) posted on X: “Stefon Diggs is ready to be a Commander” —
Stefon Diggs is ready to be a Commander: pic.twitter.com/S3Kote84cG https://t.co/CjgLoGssQ5
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 5, 2026
The timing wasn’t lost on anyone in the DMV. Diggs grew up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, played his college ball for the Terrapins, and is now, in a sense, coming home. His former Maryland head coach, Michael Locksley, told WUSA9 that having Diggs return to play for his hometown team is “a big deal” and something he’s excited about for both Diggs and the organization.
What Diggs Brings to Washington’s Offense
Diggs is coming off a productive age-32 season with the New England Patriots. He caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, leading a Patriots team that reached the AFC championship picture. According to ESPN, Diggs ranked first among NFL wide receivers last season in reception percentage, hauling in 82.5% of his targets.
That production came a year after Diggs tore his ACL with the Houston Texans in October 2024, an injury that cost him the rest of that season. Bouncing back to lead a conference finalist in targets caught says something about where his body is at 32.
| Category | 2025 Season Total |
|---|---|
| Receptions | 85 |
| Receiving Yards | 1,013 |
| Touchdowns | 4 |
| Contract | 1 year, up to $12 million |
He steps into a Commanders receiver room that, according to NBC Sports, had been leaning on Treylon Burks as the presumptive No. 2 option behind McLaurin, with a mix of unproven names like Van Jefferson, Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey filling out the depth chart. Diggs now takes that No. 2 job outright, and Washington enters the season with a wide receiver duo that’s played in a combined nine Pro Bowls.
Why This Likely Ends the Brandon Aiyuk Speculation
The Diggs signing also answers a question that had hovered over the Commanders’ offseason: what happens with Brandon Aiyuk. The disgruntled 49ers wideout had publicly campaigned to play in Washington for months, and speculation connected the two sides repeatedly.
According to ESPN, the Commanders’ interest in Aiyuk cooled after a series of Instagram posts in which he appeared to target Daniels directly. Aiyuk remains on San Francisco’s reserve/left squad list and has not yet applied for reinstatement, meaning the 49ers haven’t even been in position to release him.
With Diggs now filling the exact role Aiyuk was angling for, a trade for the 49ers receiver looks far less likely. That’s speculation based on roster logic, not anything either team has confirmed, but the roster math speaks for itself: Washington no longer has an obvious need at wide receiver.
The Off-Field Chapter Behind Him
Diggs’s path to Washington wasn’t only about football. He faced felony strangulation and assault charges stemming from an alleged incident involving his personal chef. According to CBS Sports and ESPN, a Boston jury acquitted Diggs of those charges in May, and the NFL announced in June that it lacked sufficient evidence to hand down discipline.
The Patriots released Diggs in March, at the start of the 2026 league year, a move that saved New England $16.8 million in cap space and let them pursue receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, per Pro Football Rumors.
What’s Next
Diggs is expected to join the Commanders in the coming days as Washington continues training camp ahead of the preseason opener. He’ll need to build chemistry with Daniels quickly, but the pairing gives Washington’s passing attack a proven veteran presence it lacked for most of the summer.
