Dyami Brown’s role in Washington is getting a lot bigger than it should be, and the numbers from Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys make that impossible to ignore.
Brown was on the field for 55 percent of the Commanders’ offensive snaps, a heavier workload than both Stefon Diggs and Antonio Williams. Only Terry McLaurin played more snaps among Washington’s wide receivers. For a team trying to find answers, that usage is hard to justify.
Diggs has been one of the few bright spots for Washington this season. Williams, meanwhile, showed real promise against the Philadelphia Eagles before disappearing in Dallas, and that had nothing to do with him. Yet Brown, who has four catches on eight targets for 21 receiving yards through two weeks, kept getting the larger share of the work.
That’s the part that should raise eyebrows. Brown did enough this offseason to make the 53-man roster, which gave fans some hope that he might finally turn things around in a real regular-season role. But so far, the early returns look awfully familiar.
Maybe the Commanders are trying to manage Diggs’ workload. Maybe they don’t want to overload Williams as he settles into the NFL grind. But with Jayden Daniels out until further notice because of a dislocated elbow, Washington can’t afford to waste snaps on players who are less reliable.
Brown still has a place in the offense. His speed can stretch the field, and he can work as a decoy to create space underneath. That kind of job matters even more with Marcus Mariota at quarterback, since the veteran backup doesn’t have the strongest arm at this stage of his career.
Still, there’s a difference between having a role and getting too many of the wrong reps. Brown should not be taking snaps away from Diggs or Williams right now, especially with the Commanders needing quick answers and dependable production around Mariota.
That need gets even sharper with the Seattle Seahawks coming to Northwest Stadium this weekend. Washington needs the passing game to function fast, and that starts with players who can separate quickly.
Diggs can do it. Williams can do it.
McLaurin can do it, even if his start to the season has been uneven. Brown has had a harder time delivering that kind of consistency.
There are some obvious reasons Washington may have leaned on him against Dallas. Daniels is out, tight end Chig Okonkwo is hurt, and McLaurin has not been at his best early on. Maybe offensive coordinator David Blough wanted to try something different against a vulnerable Cowboys secondary.
Blough will probably be asked about it when he speaks on Thursday, and the answer should be worth listening to. If Brown keeps getting WR2-level usage ahead of more dependable options, the questions will only get louder.
Brown has flashed enough athletic ability to keep getting chances, and he had a brief resurgence in the playoffs when Washington reached the NFC Championship game. But outside of that stretch, his career has been largely disappointing.
Right now, the Commanders need more than potential. They need the receivers who can actually help Marcus Mariota right away.
In Other News...
Chase Youngs Revival Revives A Painful Commanders Debate
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For Washington, the revival brings back an uncomfortable question about what might have been if Young had been healthier in burgundy and gold. His current play is a reminder that the talent was never really gone, only interrupted, and it leaves the Commanders with a familiar what-if tied to one of their biggest recent investments. His rise elsewhere does not change the past, but it does make the debate around his time in Washington feel a lot harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have Real Stakes In One Risky QB Decision
The Commanders decision to carry three quarterbacks on their initial 53-man roster has already taken on more meaning than a typical developmental move. Rookie Athan Kaliakmanis was expected to spend the season learning behind Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, but with Daniels injured and Mariota slated to start, Washington suddenly has a real reason to keep a close eye on its third quarterback spot.
Adam Peters has made clear why the club liked Kaliakmanis in the first place, pointing to his arm talent and competitiveness while also noting he still has room to grow. For a team trying to balance short-term stability with a long-term plan at the position, that makes the rookies role one of the more interesting developments to watch, especially if the quarterback room is forced to absorb more changes than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Fans Want Dan Quinn Gone But Washington Has A Bigger Problem
The frustration in Washington has been building for weeks, and Dan Quinn is feeling it now more than ever. The Commanders have stumbled through a rough stretch, and when Jayden Daniels went down on a play at the end of the first half against the Cowboys, the conversation around the coach shifted from disappointment to outrage almost instantly.
Daniels dislocated his elbow for the second time in two seasons on a critical call that will hang over Quinn as the scrutiny intensifies. He deserves plenty of criticism for how the situation unfolded, but the bigger issue is the one the Commanders have been wrestling with all along: a thin, inexperienced coaching staff and little reason to believe a midseason change would fix much of anything. [Read more 🡒]