Signing a seven-time 1000-yard wide receiver should be good credit for any team, but for the Washington Commanders, adding Stefon Diggs late in 2026 NFL free agency is further proof of a bigger issue.
That’s according to The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia. He took the Commanders, specifically general manager Adam Peters, to task for signing aging pass-catcher Diggs and continuing a suspect way of building the roster around young, star quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Kapadia believes “The talent here is mediocre at best, yet general manager Adam Peters seems to be escaping criticism. Going into Daniels’s third season, why do you need to add a 32-year-old wide receiver (Stefon Diggs) in August to start for you? Diggs might wind up being good for Washington, but the whole point of having a promising quarterback on a rookie contract is that you can go above and beyond to pay up and surround him with talent. The Commanders, however, have tried and failed to do just that.”
It’s a damning indictment of Peters’ tenure, but several deficiencies that threaten to undermine the 2026 Commanders support Kapadia’s view. Even though Diggs might wind up being one of Peters’ better moves.
Stefon Diggs Can Still Be a Difference-Maker
Just the presence of an All-Pro with Diggs’ pedigree makes the Commanders’ wide receiver group stronger. He’ll challenge every other wideout to get better, including incumbent go-to target, Terry McLaurin.
A Diggs and McLaurin double act can work because of their complementary styles. While ‘Scary Terry’ remains an elite field-stretcher outside the numbers, Diggs has matured into being a prolific chain-mover between the hashmarks.
He played 56.6 percent of his snaps in the slot for the New England Patriots in 2025, per Player Profiler. Diggs proved especially effective running crossing routes from the inside.
A good example was this catch and run against the Carolina Panthers last season.
📺 FOX
Diggs remaining a menace on crossing routes makes him the perfect foil for McLaurin’s enduring vertical threat. They will be difference-makers for Daniels, but the fact the Commanders needed to dip back into the market for Diggs reflected poorly on Peters’ overall recruitment.
Commanders’ GM Guilty of Too Many Recruitment Errors
Peters’ first two draft classes contain multiple missteps. Prominent picks from 2024, like second-rounders tight end Ben Sinnott and defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, along with third-round receiver Luke McCaffrey, have all failed to deliver.
The same narrative is playing out with members of last year’s draft haul. First-round pick, offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. continues to endure his share of struggles, while second-round cornerback Trey Amos can’t seem to stay healthy.
That’s too many draft picks not making the grade. What’s more worrying is how often Peters backs himself into having to add a big-name veteran to make up for shallow depth in key positions.
It happened when the Commanders made a late move to add future Hall of Fame edge-rusher Von Miller last offseason. The then 36-year-old was needed because Peters had mostly filled the edge-rusher room with journeymen.
Miller didn’t make an impact, nor enjoy his time in Washington, but Peters is repeating the same pattern. He seized the chance to sign Diggs only after another draft pick, 2025 fourth-rounder Jaylin Lane, wasn’t showing enough promise, and after the Commanders signed retreads Van Jefferson and Dyami Brown.
It’s not a stretch to envisage Peters making a similar move to fill the glaring hole at center. A hole created by releasing Tyler Biadasz and shifting Nick Allegretti from guard. Now, the Commanders are having to rely on 2026 sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin and former undrafted free agent Julian Good-Jones, while Allegretti’s still dealing with injuries.
This is yet another example of the Commanders being left thin at a vital spot. It’s why Kapadia’s convinced Quinn should “hire some PR help immediately. He seems to be taking all of the heat publicly for last year’s disappointing season. But has anyone looked at this depth chart?? The 2025 failures were not the result of a coach failing to maximize a talented roster. They were the result of the roster being flawed in the first place.”
Peters won’t remain a protected species if his latest roster moves leave the Commanders short again.
Commanders Slammed for Stefon Diggs Move, Amid Bigger Problem