The Washington Commanders needed another productive wide receiver to go alongside Terry McLaurin, and they got their guy in Stefon Diggs. This also meant everyone else moved further down the depth chart.
And for a once-promising undrafted free agent with a previous connection to quarterback Jayden Daniels, it was the end of his brief road in Washington.
Amid a flurry of roster moves before Day 9 of training camp, the Commanders confirmed that Chris Hilton Jr. has been released. There was some intrigue around his arrival after the 2026 NFL Draft, but it never amounted to anything more.
Commanders made Chris Hilton Jr. expendable after Stefon Diggs blockbuster
Hilton fell behind quickly and never made up the lost ground. He was outshone by fellow UDFA Jaden Bradley, who remains a sneaky candidate to make the 53-man roster despite Diggs' high-profile arrival.
The Commanders believe they have more than enough to cope without Hilton. He was nothing more than a dark-horse candidate to make the team, but the wideout just didn't do enough to stand out. And not even playing with Daniels for two seasons at LSU was enough to get a reprieve.
This is a significant setback for Hilton in his quest to carve out an NFL career for himself.
Undrafted players always start from the bottom. Those who get cast aside this quickly without a chance to put out tape in the preseason rarely get second chances. And for all his athletic attributes, putting everything together remains an ongoing complication.
Washington didn't have time to wait around.
Chris Hilton Jr. now faces an uncertain future after Commanders exit
Even if Bradley doesn't make the team initially, he's a solid bet to secure a place on the practice squad if he clears waivers. It's a consolation prize of sorts, but it will at least give him the opportunity to remain in Washington and continue his encouraging development.
Hilton won't have the same luxury now.
The Commanders have adopted a ruthless roster-building strategy with general manager Adam Peters at the helm. Last season was a massive setback, but the front-office leader made the moves needed this offseason to make sure these standards don't slip again. And anyone not pulling their weight is not going to last long.
Hilton fell victim to the numbers game. But if he'd shown enough in practice, the Commanders would have kept faith.
This is all part of the business. The Commanders have no room for passengers with so much at stake this season. Hilton was expendable, and Washington needed the roster spot to bolster its offensive line depth. And now, the pass-catcher will be hoping another chance presents itself sooner rather than later.
If not, then the UFL or CFL are other options. Not the route Hilton envisaged, but it's another way to keep his football dreams alive.
But that won't be in Washington anymore.
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