If Washington’s front office were handed a one-day mandate, the easiest way to improve the roster might not be the flashiest. It might be the one that costs the least in return. That’s why Stefon Diggs kept coming up in the discussion around what the Commanders should do right now.
Diggs fits the kind of move that doesn’t require giving up draft picks or future cap space, and Washington has room to make it happen. The Commanders are $43 million under the cap, which means they could realistically offer him something in the $10-12ish million range for one season. He’d bring another proven weapon to a receiver group that already includes Terry McLaurin and Antonio Williams, with tight end Chig Oknokwu also in the mix.
The appeal is obvious. Diggs has topped 1,000 receiving yards in seven of the last eight seasons, including last year with the New England Patriots.
He also looks ready to go, if his Instagram profile is any indication. The caution flags are there too, starting with his remaining legal issues and the question of how he’d handle a rough start to the season.
Even so, after all the Brandon Aiyuk nonsense, he stands as the best available option to raise the ceiling at receiver.
Another lane people explored was subtraction, not addition. Daron Payne came up often as a player who could bring back draft capital for 2026.
There’s no mystery about why he keeps landing in those conversations. He’s a force when he’s right, even if he hasn’t fully matched the four-year, $90 million deal he signed in 2023.
Payne is entering a contract year, and that matters. He’s 29, he’s likely eyeing a third contract, and his best seasons have shown up when the stakes are highest.
In 2022, his last contract year, he posted 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss and made the Pro Bowl. The question is whether that kind of production in a new defense with high expectations is worth more than likely Day 3 draft compensation.
The answer here leans toward keeping the player. There’s also the 2026 cap hit, which sits at more than $16 million and would be tough for many teams to absorb.
Frankie Luvu was mentioned in the same trade conversation, along with the idea of moving an edge rusher now that the position group is deeper. But that’s the kind of move that may make more sense once camp starts and injuries begin to create demand. Right now, patience feels like the better play.
Center is another spot that drew attention, and for good reason. Nick Allegretti is the presumptive starter, but he’s mostly been a guard in the NFL, and there isn’t a proven backup behind him at the moment.
Sixth-round pick Matt Gulbin could develop into something useful, but that’s far from guaranteed. Still, there’s a reason the Commanders may be better off waiting.
Center is a position that benefits from offseason reps, and this offense is expected to be Ben Johnson-like under David Blough. That system places a lot on the center, so losing the spring work would be a real drawback.
Washington is clearly hoping Allegretti can handle it.
Then there’s the big swing: Chris Olave. It’s the kind of idea that lives in the fun zone of an offseason conversation, but it drew attention for a reason. Olave would be a major upgrade over the long haul, though any trade would almost certainly have to come with a long-term deal already lined up.
The Saints probably wouldn’t move him cheaply. If they dealt him now, it would likely take a premium.
If the Commanders waited until the trade deadline, the price might come down, but only if they had stayed put this summer and gotten off to a strong start. Olave has gone over 1,000 yards in three of his four NFL seasons and can be a dominant presence in the pattern.
His toughness is McLaurin-like, which is no small compliment.
It would also be a major investment at receiver a year before quarterback Jayden Daniels becomes extension eligible. That’s why the move feels unlikely. But as a one-day GM exercise, it’s exactly the kind of idea that gets people talking.
In Other News...
Commanders May Finally Be Forced To Fix Their Biggest Offensive Problem
The Commanders have spent much of the offseason trying to round out the roster around Jayden Daniels, but the one area that still looks thin is receiver. General manager Adam Peters has not shut the door on trades, and that matters now because Washington may need more than internal optimism to give the passing game another reliable layer.
Among the names floating around are Calvin Ridley and Rashod Bateman, two very different bets with different kinds of risk attached. Ridley brings the kind of proven track record that can change a room, while Bateman is the younger swing who has not quite delivered the way Baltimore hoped, even after a season that left plenty of questions about his future there. For Washington, the bigger issue is not just whether help is available, but whether the right deal can be found before the market tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Face An Uncomfortable Question About A Franchise Veteran
As the NFC turns toward 2026 training camp, a handful of familiar names are already showing up in trade chatter, and the Commanders are part of that conversation for reasons that go beyond simple roster speculation. Washingtons defense has been a talking point for months, and when teams start weighing cap space, depth and contract timelines, veteran players with real value tend to draw attention fast.
Daron Payne fits that profile, which is why his name keeps surfacing in leaguewide discussions even if Washington has no obvious reason to rush anything. The Commanders would have to be blown away to seriously consider moving him, and the other path to a deal would likely involve the season taking a turn that changes the front offices calculus. For now, it is the kind of situation that hangs in the background until camp injuries, depth-chart shifts or a slow start force everyone to look at it differently. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis Is Making A Strong First Impression
Athan Kaliakmanis is already making a noticeable first impression in Washington, and not just because of what he can do with a football in his hands. The Commanders rookie quarterback took part in the inaugural NFC East Rookies Challenge at Great Wolf Lodge Maryland, where the event also helped support the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington and gave the teams newest passer a chance to show up in a different kind of spotlight.
Kaliakmanis came away as the challenge champion after handling the Wave Pool and Lazy River competitions, but the bigger takeaway for Washington is how quickly he seems to be settling in. He spoke about joining the Commanders, learning from teammates and approaching his first NFL opportunity with the right mindset, and that combination of competitiveness and humility is exactly the sort of early signal teams like to see from a rookie quarterback. [Read more 🡒]