ASHBURN, Va. -- Free agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs is set to sign a one-year deal worth up to $12 million with the Washington Commanders, giving the team a proven receiver opposite Terry McLaurin, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Diggs strengthens a receiver group whose depth had improved from 2025 but was still facing questions at the top, aside from McLaurin. Diggs, who was born in suburban Washington and played collegiately at Maryland, had made his desire to play for the Commanders known.
Diggs attended Maryland's first fall practice Wednesday and the university shared a video message on Instagram from the former Terrapins wide receiver.
"Shout out to my Terps and go Commanders," he said in the video. "Let's go!"
Diggs, 32, will be joining a new team for the third time in three seasons. He gives Washington a stronger second option alongside McLaurin, whose string of five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons was snapped last year due to injury.
Diggs has been voted to the Pro Bowl four times -- the last one occurring three years ago -- and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2020 when he led the NFL with 127 receptions.
Washington's lack of receiver depth was evident in 2025 when McLaurin missed seven games with a quad injury and Noah Brown missed 13 games with knee and groin injuries. The result: Five players who were not on the roster at the season's start ended up catching passes for the team.
Washington drafted Antonio Williams in the third round this year, and multiple team officials have expressed excitement over how he can help. The Commanders also have Luke McCaffrey, a third-round pick in 2024 with 29 career receptions in 26 games; and Jaylin Lane, a fourth-round pick in 2025 who caught 16 passes last season but as a punt returner he averaged 13.7 yards and scored twice.
They also have veterans Treylon Burks, Van Jefferson and Dyami Brown. The latter caught 30 passes for Washington two years ago, adding 14 more in three postseason games. That trio combined for 59 catches, 707 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Washington had been paying attention to Brandon Aiyuk's situation with the San Francisco 49ers and, earlier in the offseason, would have had interest if he were available, according to team sources. However, he has yet to be released and, therefore, hasn't been an immediate option. The Commanders' potential interest cooled after a series of Instagram posts by Aiyuk, including some that targeted quarterback Jayden Daniels, according to team sources.
Meanwhile, Diggs caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns for the New England Patriots last season and was credited with being a key team leader. He has surpassed 1,000 yards in seven of the past eight years -- with the exception occurring when he missed nine games due to a torn ACL.
The Patriots, however, released Diggs in March, at the start of the 2026 league year.
Diggs spent his first five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before getting traded to the Buffalo Bills, whom he played for the next four years.
Diggs has dealt with off-field issues. On May 4, he was found not guilty of felony strangulation as well as assault and battery charges against his personal chef Jamila Adams. The NFL also investigated the situation and determined there was insufficient evidence to suspend him for violation of the personal conduct policy.
Diggs also is suing Christopher Blake Griffith for defamation after Griffith made accusations that the football player had "drugged and sexually assaulted him" and tried to "unalive" him.