Stefon Diggs Signs One-Year Deal With Commanders, Pairs With Terry McLaurin

The Washington Commanders have found their receiver. Stefon Diggs is signing with Washington on a one-year contract worth up to $12 million, according to ESPN’s John Keim, who cited NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter as sources on the deal.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz was first to report the move on X. “BREAKING: The Commanders are signing 4x Pro Bowl WR Stefon Diggs, multiple sources tell me,” Schultz posted —

BREAKING: The #Commanders are signing 4x Pro Bowl WR Stefon Diggs, multiple sources tell me. https://t.co/jwlJOvptz5 pic.twitter.com/7W1K1KPOyN

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 5, 2026

Diggs is 32 years old and entering his 11th NFL season. He spent last year with the New England Patriots, where he caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns while helping steady a young locker room during New England’s run to Super Bowl LX. The Patriots released him in March in a cost-saving move that cleared $16.8 million in cap space, according to NFL.com.

Washington needed this. Terry McLaurin has carried the receiver room for years, and the depth behind him was thin heading into 2026. ClutchPoints had flagged the group’s shortcomings for weeks, and the Commanders addressed it here with a proven No. 2 rather than a projection.

Diggs isn’t shy about what he brings. He’s said publicly this offseason there’s no wide receiver in the league better than him at his position. Numbers back some of that up — he led the NFL in reception percentage last season, catching 82.5% of his targets, and he ranked first-team All-Pro back in 2020 when he paced the league with 127 catches.

What Diggs Brings to Washington’s Offense

This isn’t a reclamation project. Diggs is walking into a starting role opposite McLaurin, and quarterback Jayden Daniels now has a second legitimate weapon to throw to in year three. Washington’s receiver depth got exposed in 2025 when McLaurin missed seven games with a quad injury and Noah Brown missed 13 with knee and groin issues — the team ended up starting five different receivers who weren’t even on the roster at the start of that season, per ESPN.

Diggs gives offensive coordinators a receiver who wins with route precision rather than pure speed. He’s a five-time 100-catch and seven-time 1,000-yard producer over his career, and even in a reduced role in New England — playing 55% of offensive snaps — he still cracked 1,000 yards. Pairing him with McLaurin gives Daniels two receivers defenses can’t afford to bracket at the same time, which should open up the underneath game for Washington’s tight ends and running backs.

Where This Leaves Brandon Aiyuk

The Diggs signing likely closes the door on Washington’s other big receiver storyline this offseason: Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers wideout has spent months signaling, not so subtly, that he wants to play for the Commanders. As recently as Tuesday — the day before the Diggs news broke — Aiyuk posted another photo to his Instagram story wearing a Commanders hat, according to Yahoo Sports.

None of it moved the needle. San Francisco has kept Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list, meaning he isn’t being paid and doesn’t count against the 49ers’ 90-man roster — there’s no financial pressure pushing a trade forward. Washington, for its part, was never willing to give up meaningful draft capital to force the issue, according to ClutchPoints.

With Diggs now occupying the role Aiyuk wanted, a trade this summer looks far less likely. Washington got its answer at receiver without giving up a single pick.

What’s Next

Diggs joins a receiver room that now includes McLaurin, Treylon Burks, third-round rookie Antonio Williams, and returning depth pieces like Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane. Terms of the contract beyond the reported $12 million ceiling — guarantees, incentives, roster bonuses — haven’t been made public. Washington hasn’t issued an official announcement as of this writing; this piece will be updated if the team confirms.