Stefon Diggs officially became a Washington Commander on Friday, taking the field for his first practice in a new jersey number. According to a post on X by ESPN Commanders reporter John Keim, Diggs showed up to training camp wearing No. 18 — a fresh look after wearing No. 14 for nine seasons in Minnesota and Buffalo, No. 1 in Houston, and No. 8 in New England.
The number swap comes days after Washington and Diggs agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $12 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The deal is worth up to $12 million, according to Spotrac.
Diggs, a Gaithersburg, Maryland native who played college ball at Maryland, is coming home. He didn’t hide his excitement. “Shoutout to my Terps, and go, Commanders. Let’s go!” he said in a video from his first fall practice.
Diggs’ track record entering Washington
Over 11 NFL seasons with the Vikings, Bills, Texans and Patriots, Diggs has caught 942 passes for 11,504 yards and 74 touchdowns. That puts him 24th all-time in receptions, 38th in receiving yards and 43rd in touchdown catches. Last season with New England, he led the team with 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Patriots reach Super Bowl LX.
| Category | 2025 (NE) | Career |
|---|---|---|
| Receptions | 85 | 942 |
| Receiving Yards | 1,013 | 11,504 |
| Touchdowns | 4 | 74 |
Will Diggs fit in Washington?
The early read is mixed but leaning positive. Washington was clearly short on proven targets behind Terry McLaurin, and Diggs fills that gap immediately. Playing as the No. 2 option should also work in his favor — defenses will keep their attention on McLaurin, potentially opening space underneath and in the slot for Diggs to operate.
“This move might not transform the offense, but it does make it better for sure,” John Keim wrote for ESPN. “Diggs gives them an immediate boost as a second receiving target, someone who can play in the slot or the Z — also known as flanker — position.”
Keim also flagged a consistency question. Diggs posted five 100-yard games with New England last season but didn’t crack 70 receiving yards in any other outing. Volatility like that is worth watching, especially given his volume split — 171 routes run split wide and 191 from the slot, according to Keim’s ESPN reporting.
The bigger variable is quarterback play. Jayden Daniels’ accuracy and arm talent give Diggs a real chance to be a consistent chain-mover rather than a boom-or-bust weapon, even at 32 years old and entering his 12th season.
What’s next
Washington was reportedly ramping Diggs up gradually rather than throwing him into full contact immediately, per the team’s own training camp notebook. Head coach Dan Quinn said the plan is to build his workload over the coming days as camp continues.
Whether the move solves Washington’s receiver depth for the long haul is still unclear. But for now, the Commanders have addressed what was arguably their weakest roster spot heading into the 2026 season.
