The NFL regular season is finally upon us, and with it came the final rosters. For the Washington Commanders, there weren’t many surprises. That doesn’t mean there aren’t storylines to follow, though. One of those storylines comes from wide receiver Dyami Brown.
Brown was a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. His rookie year with Washington didn’t exactly go well for him, however.
The wide receiver appeared in 15 games last season. He finished with just 12 receptions (on 25 targets) for 165 yards and no touchdowns. Brown also had one carry for negative four yards. The stats weren’t great, and the film doesn’t make it look any better.
Brown struggled with routes, rarely getting good separation. It didn’t help that when he was getting the ball thrown to him, his hands didn’t seem to want to agree with the situation.
This offseason hasn’t helped either. The Commanders added Jahan Dotson with their first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, Curtis Samuel appears to be healthy. That really buries Brown down on the depth chart.
Then came the preseason. Brown struggled with the same issues. And he appeared scared to take a hit at times, leading to a few incompletions.
Brown is a very talented receiver. He has a lot of the physical tools needed. But things haven’t clicked yet. And if we’re being honest, it feels like the Commanders would have cut ties with him if he wasn’t a third-round pick just one year ago. If Brown was taken in the fifth or later, he’d probably be on the practice squad right now.
Brown wasn’t drafted in the fifth though, he was drafted in the third. And this may have afforded him a slightly longer leash. Now the wide receiver has to make the most of it.
The Washington Commanders actually have a great-looking wide receiver corps heading into the 2022 season. You don’t see that from them often, this is uncharted territory. Dotson and Samuel are there to compliment superstar Terry McLaurin.
That sort of locks up the first three spots. This means Brown isn’t going to be getting tons of chances early on (barring injuries). So when he does get those chances, pay attention. It won’t be all about putting up stats. Does he create separation and run routes well? Does he shy away from contact? Is he making the catches he should make?
This season could go one of two ways for Dyami Brown. He’s either going to show improvements and start to become the receiver the Commanders were expecting, or we won’t see him in Washington for much longer.