The Washington Commanders have been named as a potential landing spot for Diggs, a Maryland native who has openly discussed the idea of a homecoming.
"I never realized how many fans it was back home until I was a free agent," Diggs told Fox 5 DC. "We're kind of figuring it out, working through some things."
Why It Makes Sense
The interest runs both ways, at least on the surface.
Diggs grew up in the area, played college ball at the University of Maryland, and was recently spotted working out at his alma mater using footballs with a Commanders logo.
He said the possibility of signing in Washington was "100 percent" one of the first things he thought about upon hitting free agency.
Stefon Diggs already commented that it would “make sense” to him to join the #Commanders at his ‘A moment for Mom’ event back in the DC area in May, given his local roots.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) July 27, 2026
A month later, Diggs told TMZ while leaving a workout near a track that he was “open to everything” when… https://t.co/UeaOdoUbFD pic.twitter.com/lgpOWYqMUG
The Commanders also have a clear need, still lacking a bona fide 1,000-yard wide receiver alongside Terry McLaurin to pair with quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Washington sits third in the NFL in cap space with nearly $44 million available, so money would not be an obstacle, and Diggs's legal situation is fully resolved after he was found not guilty on assault charges and the NFL closed its investigation without a suspension.
The Complications
Whether the Commanders actually want to sign him is the open question.
Reporting earlier in the offseason indicated Washington was interested only to the extent of a one-year, highly incentivized deal, and primarily as a contingency if the 49ers ever released Brandon Aiyuk.
Head coach Dan Quinn has sounded content with his receiver room, and there is organizational caution about adding a receiver as productive as Diggs, whose target share would disrupt the usage plan built around McLaurin.
Diggs posted 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in his lone Patriots season last year, helping New England reach the Super Bowl, and 2024 remains the only year since 2018 in which he failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards.
Now entering his age-33 season, Diggs will likely command a shorter deal than the three-year pact he signed with New England, making a short-term homecoming a realistic fit if Washington decides to pursue it.
