The Washington Commanders' quest to get Jayden Daniels some extra help at wide receiver in the offseason has not led to a big name like Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk coming to town. Instead, Adam Peters' first big move appears to be going cheap to bring in a grizzled veteran and an old friend.
Washington has agreed to sign wide receiver Dyami Brown on a one-year contract just above the league minimum at $3 million. Brown is coming back to Washington after trying and failing to muscle his way into the Jacksonville Jaguars' wide receiver room during the 2025 season.
Immediately after the Brown signing was announced on social media, Washington also agreed to terms on a deal with wide receiver Van Jefferson. While both of these signings are solid veterans who have proven to be able to play some limited roles in the NFL, neither of them is going to move the needle for a Commanders team eyeing the postseason.
Commanders to sign WR Dyami Brown, WR Van Jefferson
Brown came to Washington with plenty of hype as a third-round pick in 2021, but his inability to run a complex route tree led to him getting rooted to the bench until a lack of depth pushed him into an elevated role in 2024. Brown signed with Jacksonville with the promise of an elevated role.
While Brown started the year in a prominent position, his own struggles and the emergence of Parker Washington sent him back to the bench. Brown likely isn't going to be guaranteed much in terms of targets, even if Washington chooses not to bring back Deebo Samuel.
Jefferson tallied 800 yards receiving in his second season in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, but he hasn't topped 400 yards since. Jefferson, who spent 2024 with the Tennessee Titans, is a reliable veteran who can be a solid No. 4 passing target, but that is about his ceiling at this stage.
If Samuel is not brought back, Terry McLaurin will be working alongside a very thin group. Luke McCaffrey and second-year speedster Jaylin Lane will compete for snaps with Brown and Jefferson, which isn't exactly Art Monk, Gary Clark, and Ricky Sanders on the outside.
Without a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Commanders may need to head into 2026 with a lack of high-end talent at the wide receiver position. Daniels and new offensive coordinator David Blough certainly have their work cut out for them.