Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has only been working with veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs for about a week. But the two appear to have built an impressive level of chemistry in that short amount of time.
That was on display Wednesday in the team’s joint practice against the Miami Dolphins. Commanders insiders raved about Diggs’ performance and how comfortable Daniels looked throwing him the ball.
The quarterback shared how it felt while speaking to reporters after the practice session.
“It’s awesome. Just his feel for space,” said Daniels. “He’s a dog. He goes out and makes plays. He brings energy, he’s a leader.
“So, I’m super happy to have Stefon in that room, not just for the offense but just for the whole team in general.”
The Commanders signed Diggs to a 1-year deal worth up to $12 million. In about a week’s time, he’s solidified the team’s WR2 situation opposite fellow veteran wideout Terry McLaurin.
Commanders’ Jayden Daniels Working Well With Stefon Diggs
Despite only being his teammate for a week, this wasn’t the first time Daniels spoke highly of Diggs.
“I think he does a great job of being definitive with his routes,” Daniels said of Diggs on “Inside Training Camp” on August 8. “He’s friendly when he comes out the top of his routes. Great hands, he catches everything. He’s super smart.
“He knows coverage; he’s not going to run a route to get covered.”
Diggs might not be the All-Pro receiver he once was. In 2020, he led the NFL with 127 catches and 1,535 receiving yards.
But he’s still a candidate to eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark and even approach 100 receptions. Last season with the New England Patriots, Diggs had 85 catches, 1,013 receiving yards and four scores.
Diggs has bounced around the league a bit the past few years. He hasn’t spent back-to-back seasons with the same team since 2022-23.
That’s not typically a great sign. But the Commanders likely view Diggs as a 1-year solution anyway. He’s been great at being that even though teams haven’t wanted him back for a second year as of late.
Washington WR Depth Greatly Improved With Diggs
There was no question that WR2 was Washington’s biggest remaining question mark on the roster when training camp began. The Commanders have several receivers who could have stepped into that role. But none of them were guaranteed to seize the role.
Now with Diggs, those wideouts escape the pressure of having to start and can settle into the third, fourth or fifth wide receiver roles.
Rookie Antonio Williams has continued to progress nicely. Perhaps he replaces Diggs as a starter as early as 2027.
But for this fall, Williams is growing into a candidate to be the WR3.
Veterans Treylon Burks, Luke McCaffrey, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson all offer potential upside. They could be high-quality depth wideouts for Daniels to target.
With Diggs, though, none of them have to produce like a starter every week.
The Commanders will see parts of their receiving corps in action for the preseason opener Friday night. The team will host the Dolphins, who they practiced against Wednesday.
Commanders’ Jayden Daniels Reacts to Stefon Diggs Connection After Joint Practice