The Washington Commanders pulled off a coup by signing veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs. This is a massive addition to the passing game that should help quarterback Jayden Daniels considerably. Unfortunately, there will be some collateral damage.
Everyone else, aside from second-team All-Pro wideout Terry McLaurin, drops lower down the depth chart. And for returning pass-catcher Dyami Brown, it's now an even more precarious situation.
Brown made his emotional return to Washington this offseason after one year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Unsurprisingly, he has flashed plenty of promise throughout the summer, but Diggs' arrival could impact his outlook more than most.
Dyami Brown faces a fight to make Commanders' roster after Stefon Diggs signing
He's not entirely out of roster contention. It will just be a little harder to secure a place on the team and even tougher than that to gain his fair share of targets.
This comes down to general manager Adam Peters' approach. Does he want to trust his young breakout hopefuls, some of whom he drafted? Or does he want to rely on a little more experience with veteran reclamation projects looking to spark life into their careers under new offensive coordinator David Blough?
The Commanders already have two savvy veterans now leading the charge in McLaurin and Diggs. Their accomplished career production towers over anything Washington has at its disposal. They are proven commodities, whereas someone like Brown has never been able to put together a consistent campaign despite his clear athletic potential.
Player | Career receiving yards |
|---|---|
Terry McLaurin | 6,971 |
Stefon Diggs | 11,504 |
Antonio Williams | 0 (rookie) |
Treylon Burks | 829 |
Dyami Brown | 1,011 |
Van Jefferson Jr. | 2,226 |
Luke McCaffrey | 371 |
Jaylin Lane | 225 |
Brown got a decent prove-it deal from the Jaguars last year after finally showing signs of life during Washington's memorable run to the NFC Championship game. Much like his time with the Commanders, he started well before fizzling out just as quickly. An uncertain future awaited this offseason, but Peters was willing to give him another shot to see if some untapped potential remained.
The 2021 third-round pick believes he is a different player now. Brown's taken some tough lessons on board, and the added urgency of being on the roster bubble is bringing a positive response.
At the same time, talk is cheap.
Dyami Brown must deliver in the preseason to improve Commanders hopes
Brown has always been a summer standout in his career. He hasn't come close to reaching the same heights when it truly counts, which will be the measuring stick again this time around. Anything less than consistency in the preseason and the same work ethic won't look favorably on his chances.
McLaurin and Diggs are roster locks, which goes without saying. Treylon Burks and third-round rookie Antonio Williams should be, too. Assuming Luke McCaffrey and Jaylin Lane are kept on for their special-teams prowess, that leaves possibly one spot for the rest.
Brown will fancy his chances. So will Van Jefferson Jr., who's caught the eye at training camp. Undrafted rookie Jaden Bradley is the wild card, but it's starting to look like he might have to settle for a place on the practice squad.
The signing of Diggs raises the stakes in more ways than one. It increases the standard, potentially makes the Commanders' offense a real problem, and decreases the number of spots on the team for everyone else. Nobody wants to be the odd man out, and Brown will be striving to avoid this dubious distinction in the coming weeks before his fate is determined.
It's now or never for Brown. The important thing is focusing on what he can control: performing well in practice, striving for growth, and maximizing every opportunity in joint practices and the preseason.
Everything after that is out of his hands.
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