Commanders signed Dyami Brown
The Washington Commanders haven't done much to improve the wide receiver options around quarterback Jayden Daniels as yet. Adam Peters made some minor tweaks, but most fans are expecting more activity in the coming weeks before attention turns to on-field preparations for the new campaign.
Van Jefferson Jr. was acquired on a short-term deal. Peters also decided to bring back Dyami Brown on a one-year contract after a season away from the club.
Brown's surprising surge down the stretch and into the playoffs was enough for the Jacksonville Jaguars to give him a contract Peters was never going to match. Hopes were high that he could become a massive feature after an impressive summer. Not for the first time in his career, the North Carolina product couldn't take this through into a competitive setting.
The Jaguars gradually phased him out. Brown was even a healthy scratch at the business end of the campaign, which spoke volumes. Even so, the Commanders still believe there is some untapped potential left, and they are not paying much to find out for sure.
While Brown says he is a different player from the one who left last year, talk is cheap. Fans expecting miracles from the 2021 third-round pick might be out of luck.
Commanders didn't trade Daron Payne
The Commanders could have easily traded Daron Payne this offseason. He is the team's player with the highest salary-cap hit, with one more year remaining on his deal. The defensive tackle has also not lived up to the $90 million contract he signed after a Pro Bowl campaign in 2022.
There would have been a market for Payne. Washington is desperately short of high-end draft capital in 2026 after trading for left tackle Laremy Tunsil last year. Speculation was rampant, but Adam Peters shut this down pretty quickly.
The general manager revealed at the NFL Scouting Combine that Payne would be part of the team's plans next season. However, the Commanders will not be offering him a new deal beforehand. They have faith in the interior force, but not enough to make a bigger commitment that could have diminished his cap number.
Perhaps the former Alabama standout can benefit from an improved supporting cast. Payne's best season came in a contract year, though it was four years ago. The Commanders decided that his departure would have left too big a hole in an already porous defense, but taking this approach means nothing is guaranteed.
If Payne fluffs his lines, Commanders fans will be wondering why Peters didn't pull the trigger on a trade.