How Stefon Diggs changes everything for Jayden Daniels, Washington's offense — and receiver room
From third downs and the red zone to roster battles and locker-room leadership, Diggs' impact extends well beyond adding another Pro Bowl receiver.
ASHBURN, Va. — Regardless of which of the four teams he played for, Stefon Diggs relished road games in Washington.
“I always played with a chip on my shoulder, but the chip got really big when I go home,” the wide receiver said. “Because that’s your hometown team and I kind of always felt like they passed up on me. They didn’t give me a chance, and I sat right in their backyard.”
Despite a stellar career at the University of Maryland, the wide receiver fell to the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. From a Washington organization perspective, that’s a lifetime and several administrations ago. For the Montgomery County (Md.) kid who starred at Good Counsel High School in Olney, the memory of this specific draft oversight lingers.
Having now signed with the Commanders, Diggs can (mostly) let the past be the past.
The jersey changed. The motivation didn't.
“Kind of a full circle moment. God works in mysterious ways. Timing is everything,” Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, said following his first practice with Washington. “Here I am back home — and I carry that same chip. But I’m a part of the team now, and I got a lot of pride. … That chip is on the other side now.”
The torn triceps injury suffered by five-time Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil during Saturday's practice dampened the optimism derived from the Diggs signing, but passing game excitement remains.
Now Diggs is with his family’s favorite team — visits from his father’s Cowboy-loving relatives made for lively Thanksgivings — the wonder is how this new relationship develops.
The Playbook: Where Diggs fits in Washington's offense, how he helps Jayden Daniels, the biggest ripple effects from his signing, how the receivers can help cover for Tunsil's injury, and why the battle for the final receiver spots just got a lot more complicated.
