The Washington Commanders brought in a laundry list of new faces this offseason as part of general manager Adam Peters' grand plan to uproot his roster with youth and depth. But a couple of those faces aren't so new at all.
Wide receiver Dyami Brown, who was drafted by Washington in the third round in 20021, is back after a one-year sabbatical with the Jacksonville Jaguars that saw him fall out of the active lineup down the stretch. Defensive lineman Tim Settle Jr. — a 2018 fifth-round pick by the team — has also returned after stops with the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans ever since he last wore the burgundy and gold.
For Brown, he's become a forgotten man in a Commanders wide receiver room that needs somebody to step up opposite Terry McLaurin. And as training camp begins this week, his mindset should be simple.
Why not him?
Dyami Brown has an overlooked chance to remind Commanders fans what they were missing
Last time Commanders fans saw Brown, he was the X-Factor of Kliff Kingsbury's offense during the 2024 playoffs. In four full regular seasons in Washington, the North Carolina product never accumulated more than 308 receiving yards. In those three playoff games, he went for 229.
Brown replaced Noah Brown as Washington's second wideout late that season when the veteran journeyman suffered a season-ending injury, and took advantage of the opportunity by playing the best football of his career. It earned him some big bucks from the Jaguars, but he couldn't find a consistent role with his new club.
And it brought him right back to where he came from.
Now, a year removed from his postseason breakout, Brown enters Commanders training camp presumptively behind McLaurin, Treylon Burks, Antonio Williams, Luke McCaffrey, and Jaylin Lane on the depth chart. But is Washington's receiving corps really that much better than it was in 2024?
Do we know for sure that Brown isn't still this offense's third-, or possibly second-best option at his position?
He has experience with quarterback Jayden Daniels. He's been ready for the moment on the big stages. And all of the receivers who've supposedly surpassed him since he was last in Washington are merely projections of potential.
Williams is a rookie. What has Burks done? McCaffrey? Lane?
Training camp will give fans a better sense of who truly shakes out where on the depth chart. The Commanders are desperately hoping to see growth from their young wideouts, especially after the door has seemingly been closed on the possibility of adding Brandon Aiyuk or another high-profile veteran. It is essential that someone other than McLaurin step up.
Don't be surprised if it's the same guy who stepped up 18 months ago.
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