Stefon Diggs' emotional homecoming to the Washington Commanders brought significant intrigue and enormous excitement in equal measure. And during a dominant joint practice against the Miami Dolphins, the veteran wide receiver provided general manager Adam Peters with instant vindication.
It was a highly impressive practice for Washington. The Dolphins are going to struggle this season, so anything less than getting the upper hand would have been disappointing. Even so, the level of supremacy left fans feeling optimistic about what this squad could potentially accomplish this season.
On offense, quarterback Jayden Daniels was surgical. The offensive line struggled overall, but it didn't stop the signal-caller from making plays consistently. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Diggs was at the forefront.
Stefon Diggs showed precisely what Commanders are getting in dominant joint practice
The exceptional route running, manipulation at the top of his route stems, and the ability to quickly identify soft zones in coverage were there for all to see. Diggs tormented whoever he was up against in 1-on-1 drills, and he also made a couple of nice touchdown catches during the team portion of practice, according to those in attendance.
Stefon Diggs won every single 1v1 rep..
— Bleeding Burgundy & Gold (@BleedinBnG) August 12, 2026
If anyone still had doubts about why the Commanders brought Diggs into the fold after months of intense speculation, they should be alleviated now.
The timing of Diggs's development with Daniels is encouraging. There seems to be a natural connection between the two, stemming from a dependable pass-catcher and an accurate signal-caller joining forces.
Miami had no answer, struggling to cope with Diggs almost from start to finish. And it bodes extremely well for Washington's hopes of making strides under new offensive coordinator David Blough.
Diggs might not be the All-Pro performer of old, but he can still play. There is absolutely no doubt about that whatsoever.
Stefon Diggs keeps showing why he could be a Commanders game-changer
The former Maryland standout creates separation effortlessly and is a technician over short to intermediate routes. If the four-time Pro Bowler also gets more single matchups in Washington thanks to the presence of Terry McLaurin, he is going to eat.
Stefon Diggs is a game-changer for Washington's offense.
— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) August 12, 2026
I spent a lot of time saying they didn't NEED to bring him in. Their room was fine. I still think that was true. But bringing him in was brilliant.
He runs great routes. He's always open. He's just really good. He's…
Cooking the Dolphins was the minimum requirement for Washington, in all honesty. We'll find out much more about where this squad is when they have a joint practice with the Baltimore Ravens later this month, who are expected to be among the playoff challengers once again. However, Diggs already looks like he could provide plenty of value on his one-year deal that could be worth up to $12 million.
This is the move Diggs wanted ever since he was released by the New England Patriots despite going over 1,000 receiving yards last season. Playing close to home is nice, but he believes in the project. And perhaps even more important than that, he believes in Daniels.
Everything is proceeding as planned so far. An exceptional joint practice only whetted the appetite further about what Diggs could potentially accomplish in Washington.
And the best part? Diggs has only been with the Commanders for less than a week, so the wideout is only going to get better the more comfortable he becomes.
That's a scary thought for the rest of the league.
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