Sometimes, for NFL players, a new location can mean everything. That could be the case for Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown in 2025, with Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder predicting that Brown will be targeted by the Buffalo Bills in free agency.
Brown was a third round pick (No. 82 overall) by the Commanders in the 2021 NFL draft out of North Carolina and already has career highs in receptions (16) and receiving yards (171) through 12 games in 2024.
“The Bills have put together a receiving corps that’s good enough right now, but the work isn’t quite done,” Holder wrote. “If Buffalo can’t re-sign Amari Cooper after trading for him, then they’ll really have to focus on adding new talent. At the same time, the Bills probably don’t want to target the top range of free agency financially. Targeting someone like Dyami Brown would give them a younger free agent who could develop into a better player. Brown has flashed some potential this season with the Commanders, but a fresh start in Buffalo could elevate his game.”
Brown Underachieved Through First 3 seasons
Brown’s play over the first 3 seasons of his career after an All-American career at North Carolina reflected his team — underwhelming.
Headed into 2024, Brown had just 29 receptions for 476 yards and 3 touchdowns and was part of a failed run of draft picks at his position by the Commanders, including now-departed wide receiver Jahan Dotson, the team’s first round pick in 2022 who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles before the season.
Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler suggested that the Commanders should consider trading Brown during training camp in 2024.
“Away from a two-touchdown outing against the Titans in 2022, Brown has remained uninvolved in a rather underwhelming passing attack,” Fowler wrote on August 14. “While the team has consistently searched high and low for consistent production at the position away from Terry McLaurin, Brown has found himself on the outside looking in as the season approaches. While an uptick in production was expected for Brown last fall with Sam Howell under center, his former teammate at UNC, Brown totaled 12 catches and reached the end zone just once.”
Commanders Don’t Even Have WR2 Option
After back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards at North Carolina in 2019 and 2020, Brown has made only 8 starts through his first 4 seasons.
Only McLaurin, who signed a 3-year, $68.3 million contract extension in 2022, has been a reliable option at wide receiver and has 4 consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards.
Even in 2024, with a new quarterback in rookie and No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels lighting up the scoreboard, Brown has done little to distinguish himself with the Commanders’ WR2 spot open for the taking.
What will likely happen with the Commanders in the offseason and with a projected $103.4 million in salary cap space will be to go after one of the NFL’s elite free agent wide receivers to play alongside McLaurin, with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, Cooper, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin and Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs all as possible options to wind up in Washington.