Day one of NFL free agency delivers big signings and early winners
Chris Bumbaca recaps day one of NFL free agency, highlighted by Kenneth Walker III landing with the Chiefs and Mike Evans signing with the 49ers.
Stefon Diggs is headed to a new team.
The free agent wide receiver agreed to terms on a new contract with the Washington Commanders on Aug. 5, USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis has confirmed. Diggs’ deal is reported to be a one-year contract worth up to $12 million, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The 11-year NFL veteran is joining his fourth team in four years in 2026. Two years ago, the Buffalo Bills traded Diggs to the Houston Texans, and last year, he signed with the New England Patriots in free agency.
One week before NFL free agency began, the Patriots informed Diggs that they would release him at the start of the new league year. He has been a free agent since March 11.
Diggs led all Patriots pass-catchers with his 104 targets, 85 catches and 1,013 receiving yards in 2025. He also caught four touchdown passes.
The veteran wideout faced strangulation and assault charges after an alleged physical altercation with his personal chef in December. Diggs was arraigned on Feb. 13, days after the Patriots’ loss in Super Bowl 60, and pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.
A Massachusetts jury acquitted Diggs on all charges on May 5.
Stefon Diggs contract details
Diggs and the Commanders agreed to terms on a new contract on Aug. 5. Here are the details, according to multiple reports:
- Length: One year
- Total value: Up to $12 million
- Guaranteed money: TBA
- Average annual value (AAV): Up to $12 million
After 11 seasons in the NFL, Diggs is returning back to where it began to play for the nation’s capital’s team.
Diggs returns to his hometown team on a short-term deal in 2026. Growing up in Montgomery County, Maryland, which borders Washington, D.C., Diggs became a highly-touted wide receiver prospect. He committed to the University of Maryland to play college football over scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State and Southern California.
Diggs’ agreement with Washington on Aug. 5 ends a long wait in free agency. It also takes another one of the top available wide receivers off of the board after Deebo Samuel, who was the Commanders’ top receiver in 2025, re-signed with the 49ers on July 30.
Stefon Diggs stats
2025:
- Games (starts): 17 (17)
- Receptions: 85
- Receiving yards: 1,013
- Yards per reception: 11.9
- Touchdowns: 4
Career:
- Games (starts): 161 (153)
- Receptions: 942
- Receiving yards: 11,504
- Yards per reception: 12.2
- Touchdowns: 74
All eyes were on 49ers veteran wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, but Washington went a different direction to bolster its receiving corps.
Diggs present a much-needed upgrade to the Commanders’ passing attack heading into the 2026 season. Veteran Terry McLaurin was the lone proven commodity among Washington’s wide receivers prior to the move to sign Diggs.
Outside of “Scary Terry,” the Commanders were poised to start third-round rookie Antonio Williams and one of Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown or Jaylin Lane on offense. Of that group, only Burks, a former first-round pick, has ever recorded more than 50 targets and 30 receptions in a season – and that was his rookie year in 2022.
With McLaurin missing seven games with injury last year, the Commanders had to lean on Samuel to help carry the passing game. But Samuel’s decision to go back to the 49ers in free agency left Washington’s offense without a clear secondary pass-catcher heading into 2026. Reports out of training camp indicated free agency acquisition and tight end Chig Okonkwo could step into that role, but the Commanders clearly needed another wideout to round things out.
Now, they’ve got one. Diggs was the top pass-catcher for 2025 MVP runner-up Drake Maye last year in New England, and he’s recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards in seven of the last eight seasons. The lone exception was 2024, when he missed nine games with a torn ACL. He joins McLaurin to create a dynamic, if aging, starting receiver duo for the NFC East hopefuls.
This story will be updated.
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