The New England Patriots‘ potential trade for A.J. Brown could be extra beneficial for the Washington Commanders.
The Commanders are being linked to veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs, especially if the Patriots land Brown in a post-June 1 trade with Washington’s NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Diggs was New England’s No. 1 receiver in 2025, finishing with 85 catches, 1,013 yards and four touchdowns while helping the Patriots earn the top seed in the AFC last season.
He had 14 catches for 110 yards and a score in the Pats’ four playoff games, including three catches for 37 yards in their 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.
The Commanders Could Sign Stefon Diggs in a ‘Homecoming’
The Commanders took a swing last year by landing Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers. He had an up-and-down season, but Washington isn’t going to retain him to complement No. 1 wideout Terry McLaurin.
But if Washington wanted to target a veteran to play opposite McLaurin, Diggs could be a solid fit for the Gaithersburg, Md. native and University of Maryland grad.
“Others suggested Washington, which would be a homecoming for the local product who starred at the nearby University of Maryland, as a realistic landing spot for the former Pro Bowl pass catcher,” NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported for Sports Boom.
Washington may be leery of giving big money to a wideout that will turn 33 in November, particularly after he was caught up in legal woes at the end of last season. But Diggs’ legal issues are behind him, at least for now, and he has been impressively durable throughout his career.
“Diggs has appeared in 15 games or more in six of his last seven seasons and started all 17 games for the Patriots on their Super Bowl run a year ago,” La Canfora reported “He has 1,000 receiving yards or more in seven of his last eight seasons.”
Diggs’ veteran savvy would be beneficial on a team as young as Washington. Plus, La Canfora noted he wouldn’t need a long ramp-up period to get up to speed.
Diggs [is] not someone who requires a lot of offseason practice at this stage of his career,” La Canfora wrote. “He doesn’t have to be in a rush to find a team now, and his workload even during training camp is likely to be limited.”
The Commanders may Have Competition for Stefon Diggs
If Diggs seems like a compelling option for Washington, he surely is for other teams too. La Canfora linked him to the Kansas City Chiefs, who suddenly are in need of a top-flight receiver since Rashee Rice is facing another NFL suspension after he violated his probation.
“Multiple personnel execs from other teams told me they believe Diggs, while not a replacement for Rice’s explosion, would be a strong fit in Andy Reid’s offence as a secondary piece,” La Canfora reported. “Diggs has the strength and savvy to make contested catches and has a skillet the evaluators believe Reid would be drawn to.
“Diggs is accustomed to being on winning teams, and especially at this stage of his career, that would be the best fit for him.”
La Canfora didn’t rule out Diggs going back to the Patriots, but that would only happen if the widely reported Brown-to-New England deal falls through.
Insider Links Commanders to Veteran Wide Receiver in ‘Homecoming’