Stefon Diggs Called Himself the Best WR2 in Football. Commanders Players Are Already Trying to Recruit Him.

Training camp is still a few weeks out, but the NFL rumor mill doesn’t take vacations. And right now, one of the more intriguing names still floating around in free agency is Stefon Diggs. The veteran wide receiver hasn’t found a new home yet, but he’s making it pretty clear he thinks he’s still got plenty left in the tank. Actually, more than that. He thinks he’s the best No. 2 receiver in the entire league.

That stance alone might get a team’s attention. But what’s really interesting is that some current Washington Commanders players appear to be doing their own recruiting.

The Instagram exchange that sparked something

Diggs posted something on Instagram recently, and Commanders linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson slid into the comments with a simple message: “RaiseHail.” That’s the team’s hashtag, their rallying cry. Diggs replied with the eyes emoji and an evil face emoji. That’s not a commitment, obviously. But it’s not nothing either.

Washington has been linked to Brandon Aiyuk trade talks for a while, but that situation seems to be cooling off or getting complicated. So the idea of Diggs as a fallback option makes some sense. The receiver room in Washington has Terry McLaurin as a clear No. 1, and Jahan Dotson has shown flashes but hasn’t fully broken out. If you plug Diggs in as the No. 2, that changes the whole dynamic of the offense for whoever is playing quarterback.

Diggs makes his case on YouTube

On his own YouTube channel this week, Diggs went on a bit of a rant about where he fits in the receiver hierarchy. He didn’t hold back.

“My opinion, I can compete with anybody,” Diggs said. “But take those [top wide receivers] as your 1s, right? You can’t name a No. 2 better than me.”

He kept going. “There’s not a No. 2 on a team. Let’s presumably give people the credit and just say, ‘OK, you want to take the No. 1 spot away.’ Name your No. 2 receiver right now, and tell me how much he makes, and then my last question is: Is he better than me?”

That’s a pretty direct challenge to the rest of the league’s wide receiver depth charts. And honestly? It’s hard to argue. Diggs has multiple 1,000-yard seasons on his resume. He’s been a Pro Bowler. He’s done it in different offenses with different quarterbacks. The question isn’t really talent. It’s whether a team wants to deal with the personality and the contract situation.

For Washington, the front office still has to sign off. Players recruiting other players is great for morale and social media engagement, but general manager Adam Peters is the one writing the checks. Diggs would come with a fairly hefty price tag, even on a one-year deal. But if the Commanders believe he can be that missing piece in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, they might be willing to work something out.

The clock is ticking though. Training camp starts soon, and teams usually want new additions in the building before the pads come on. If Diggs is serious about being the best No. 2 in football, he’s going to need a team to prove it on.