He’s still available in 2026 NFL free agency, and the Washington Commanders still need a bona fide 1000-yard wide receiver alongside Terry McLaurin, so the latest comments from Stefon Diggs are revealing about the team’s plans at a key position.
Maryland native Diggs told Fox 5 DC on Saturday, June 13, “I never realized how many fans it was back home until I was a free agent and people were like, ‘Are you going to come back home?.’ “Especially when they see me back. I’m like this, I’ve been living here for my whole life. I’ve been living here for 10 years. They was just like this, ‘Oh, we never see you.’ I was like, ‘Man, y’all wasn’t looking.'”
He didn’t just clearly outline his ambition to play for the Commanders, Diggs went a step further by also stating, “It’s a lot of hopes. We’re kind of figuring it out, working through some things. I did have a small piece of me, like, ‘Damn, it would be great to come home and play in front of the fans I used to play in front of as a young adolescent in college and just kind of doing something for the city.’ Hopefully, things do work out. We’ll see how it goes.”
This isn’t the first time Diggs has been blunt about wanting to talk to the Commanders. He’s at least indicating he and his representatives are seriously discussing the idea of the four-time Pro Bowler suiting up for the Burgundy and Gold this season.
Of course, that assumes the Commanders would be interested in signing Diggs. His on-field CV is exceptional, but head coach Dan Quinn sounds content with what he has at receiver after singling out a surprise wideout for praise.
Quinn and general manager Adam Peters also appear willing to try more under-the-radar ways to add to the depth chart.
Stefon Diggs Talk Not Going Away
Diggs to the Commanders is an idea that simply won’t go away. As one of the biggest names at his position left on the market, he continues to look like an obvious fit for a team many still consider receiver-needy.
There’s no doubting Diggs’ pedigree that includes seven 1,000-yard seasons. The 32-year-old is as close to a guarantee of consistent production as a team can get, something he proved last season with the New England Patriots.
Diggs’ time in New England was instructive for the Commanders because he helped a gifted young quarterback take his game to the next level. Elevation was inevitable for Drake Maye when Diggs was making plays like this improbable catch against AFC East rivals the New York Jets.
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A receiver still this skilled would be a major asset for Commanders’ QB1 Jayden Daniels, but there are other factors to consider.
Diggs was the subject of an investigation by the NFL that ended with the league “determining there was insufficient evidence of a personal conduct policy violation,” per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The league had opened its own investigation after Diggs was “found not guilty in May of assaulting his private chef in a pay dispute. Diggs had pleaded not guilty in February to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged dispute, leading to the two-day trial,” according to ESPN News Services.
An exclusive report from TMZ Sports on June 9 also revealed Diggs “is being ordered to finally explain how he knows the man accusing him of sexual assault … because a federal judge says calling him an “acquaintance” just isn’t good enough. According to new court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, the judge ruled on a series of discovery disputes last week in Diggs’ ongoing legal battle with Christopher Blake Griffith … the man who has accused the NFL star of drugging and sexually assaulting him in 2023 … allegations Diggs has repeatedly denied.”
Diggs has sued Griffith, “seeking damages and attorneys’ fees” after filing “on October 1 … with the Patriots star wideout accusing ‘would-be social media influencer’ Christopher Blake Griffith of concocting a lurid story about him, stemming from an alleged incident at Stefon’s Rockville, Maryland home in May 2023,” according to TMZ Sports.
Closer to the field, the Commanders have reason to proceed with caution about adding Diggs or any other marquee wide receiver.
Commanders Can Avoid Splash Move at Wide Receiver
McLaurin remains the go-to target for Daniels, and new offensive coordinator David Blough is already making “unbelievable” changes for ‘Scary Terry.’ Changes that would be disrupted by the presence of a receiver as productive as Diggs, who would surely take a lot of targets away from McLaurin.
The latter’s usage plan isn’t the only reason the Commanders can forego dipping back into free agency for receiver help. They’ve already brought Dyami Brown back into the fold and also signed Van Jefferson, who is making a strong impression this offseason, thanks to highlight-worthy catches like this one.
Jefferson’s emergence coincides with the lofty expectations for 2026 NFL draft third-round pick Antonio Williams. Add in Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey, and the Commanders aren’t short of potentially dynamic pass-catchers around Daniels.
They can still keep up the search for more bodies, but as a recent workout for a former Super Bowl champion showed, the Commanders aren’t necessarily looking for an established name like Diggs.
Stefon Diggs Updates Status of Commanders Talks