Stefon Diggs took the practice field with the Washington Commanders for the first time on Friday, August today. His debut came just days after officially signing his one-year contract in Ashburn, Virginia.
A New Number for a New Chapter
Diggs wore No. 18 for his first practice, a change from the No. 14 he wore for most of his career with Minnesota and Buffalo. It marks his fourth different jersey number across stops in Minnesota, Houston, New England, and now Washington.
Head coach Dan Quinn kept Diggs’ workload light by design. Quinn said the plan is to ramp him up gradually over the coming days rather than throw him into a full workload immediately. Even in limited reps, Diggs looked sharp, showing smooth routes and reliable hands early on.
Diggs Impressed With What He Saw
Diggs didn’t hide his excitement about his new offense, which pairs him with Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin. He broke down why the group could be difficult to defend:
“It’s going to be hard to double somebody in this offense. You’ve got guys that can make plays.” — Stefon Diggs
He also spent extra time after practice working individually with Daniels, a early sign of the chemistry both sides are hoping to build quickly.
Stephon Diggs Press Conference on Commanders YouTube Channel
Setting the Tone as a Leader
Diggs made clear he wants to be more than just a production boost. At his press conference today, he talked about the standard he hopes to set for Washington’s younger players:
“I always try to push the guys around me to be the best version of themselves.” — Stefon Diggs
A Big Day All Around
Diggs wasn’t the only headline from Friday’s practice. Tress Way, Trey Amos, and Dorance Armstrong all passed their physicals and returned to the active roster the same day, giving Washington’s camp a jolt of good news on both sides of the ball.
Considerable Difference
Diggs enters his 12th NFL season with seven 1,000-yard campaigns and four straight Pro Bowl selections on his résumé. Pairing him opposite McLaurin gives Daniels the most complete receiver duo of his young career, and potentially one of the league’s best tandems.
Typically, Terry will work outside, and Diggs will work inside and out. Covering either one of them is a tough ask for most CB2s in the league.
Friday’s debut for the wide receiver was the first real glimpse of what that partnership could look like.