The Washington Commanders finally landed the big-name wide receiver they were missing by handing Stefon Diggs a contract worth up to $12 million, but only after they “tried, but failed to sign” a $68 million-rated alternative to the four-time Pro Bowler earlier during 2026 NFL free agency.
Diggs’ arrival was confirmed on Wednesday, August 5, and it gives the Commanders a credible No. 2 receiver to complement go-to target Terry McLaurin, albeit an aging one.
Washington had wanted to go younger than the 33-year-old, but primary target Alec Pierce “opted to re-sign with Indianapolis before free agency; one league source said Pierce would have signed with the Commanders — had he come free,” according to ESPN’s John Keim, who also revealed the Commanders “tried, but failed, to sign Romeo Doubs.”
Former Green Bay Packers wideout Doubs ultimately decided to take a bumper payday and join the New England Patriots, where ironically, he’ll serve as Diggs’ replacement. The 26-year-old is a gifted receiver, but the Commanders can feel confident they did the right thing waiting for Diggs.
Romeo Doubs Not the Right Fit
Doubs is an ascending talent who combines the physical profile of a slot receiver with the speed to still stretch the field vertically. That speed is likely why he “played 81.9 of his snaps out wide, 82.4% of his snaps were on the line of scrimmage (rather than off the ball as a flanker), and he was isolated in the formation on 33.9% of his routes” in 2025, per Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar.
Outside the numbers is where Doubs was aligned when he snagged this five-yard touchdown catch against the Commanders in Week 2 last season.
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A play like this illustrates Doubs’ useful skill-set, but it also showcases why he was never quite the right fit for the Commanders. Not as a suitable complement to ease the burden on 30-year-old McLaurin.
The latter spends most of his time isolated on the perimeter, and while first-year offensive coordinator David Blough has a new plan for ‘Scary Terry,’ No. 17 will likely continue to do his best work where Doubs is used to lining up.
Doubs would have offered longterm upside, but as JP Finlay of 106.7 The Fan asked, “is he demonstrably better than what Van Jefferson, and certainly Dyami (Brown), ’cause I know Dyami’s, like, regular-season numbers, but is Romeo Doubs like that, like is there a 1,000-yard season I’m forgetting about?”
A history of modest production, combined with an uncertain scheme fit and a low-key start to life with the Pats, can help the Commanders feel they got the better deal with Diggs. He’s an expensive one-year rental, but the All-Pro is also a natural for the role the Commanders needed to fill.
Stefon Diggs Is What Commanders Were Missing
If Doubs was never going to fit what the Commanders were missing, underlying metrics show why Diggs will be different. His “slot snap rate was 50.5% and he was only on the ball 33% of his snaps with the Patriots. That’s all a fancy way of saying Doubs was primarily an ‘X’ in Green Bay, while Diggs was a Z/slot for the Pats in 2025,” according to Lazar.
Further numbers from Keim show Diggs “ran 171 routes when aligned wide and 191 when in the slot” to help the Patriots reach last season’s Super Bowl. In the process, Diggs added a seventh 1,000-yard season to his career CV, enhancing his well-earned reputation as almost a guarantee or production.
A prolific track record makes Diggs an obvious asset for Commanders’ quarterback Jayden Daniels. The gifted signal-caller is already at a crossroads entering his third season, needing to prove he can avoid further injuries and also adapt to playing under center more often.
Having Diggs available should help Daniels, at least in theory. The veteran wideout is a logical fit on a purely X’s and O’s level, but there are two reasons why the Commanders could still end up wishing they’d stayed away from this deal.
Commanders ‘Tried, but Failed to Sign’ $68M Stefon Diggs Alternative