Stefon Diggs is leaving the door open for the Washington Commanders as he ponders his next move. General manager Adam Peters has not made a move yet, and he may not at all if he is satisfied enough with the wide receivers available.
One respected NFL analyst made a compelling case for the Commanders to take the plunge. And it has nothing to do with Diggs' strong connection to the region.
Diggs is taking his time before choosing what comes next. He is expected to draw interest now that his legal issues have been resolved, and the Commanders make more sense than most. That said, the interest seems one-sided right now, so there's no telling whether Peters will give the former Maryland standout a call.
NFL analyst makes strong case for Commanders to sign Stefon Diggs
Barry Svrluga of The Athletic believes that signing Diggs would greatly benefit the Commanders. While the analyst acknowledged that the wideout's best days might be gone, he's still productive. Washington also has a gaping void to fill without two prominent playmakers, and this would go a long way to replacing the outgoing numbers.
"He may be on the back end of his career, but that career has featured seven 1,000-yard seasons in the last eight years. He can still play.
"Would signing [Stefon] Diggs make the Commanders’ receiving corps a strength? No. Would it take some heat off a group of pass catchers that currently doesn’t have its top two players in receptions from a year ago, Deebo Samuel and Zach Ertz? Yes. Those 122 catches come from somewhere."
It's hard to argue with any of it.
Diggs can still get the job done. He wouldn't be the top dog in Washington, but he'd get a lot of opportunities with Terry McLaurin demanding the primary attention of coverage. If Peters is satisfied that the baggage attached wouldn't be a problem, it's a feasible option if the money works for all parties.
There are a lot of unknowns. The Commanders are reportedly seeking another productive receiver, but there are also promising reports from organized team activities about young pass-catchers looking to break out.
If the same trend continues, Peters might go forward with what he has. That would be a risk, especially with cash to spend. But it's perfectly reasonable if the Commanders believe an upgrade isn't available.
Diggs' previous production — and his performance levels last season, for that matter — clear anything in Washington outside of McLaurin. And with the stakes so high for the Commanders next season, taking a risk like this becomes a lot more justifiable.
Time will tell on that one.
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