The criticism aimed at Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown seemed to come out of nowhere.
In September 2022, following a 36-27 Lions victory over the Commanders in Week 2, Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had some pointed comments during a media session. St. Brown, who tallied nine receptions for 68 yards in that game, referenced Brown, who went without a catch.
“You know the draft. It is what it is,” St. Brown said. “Even the Commanders, they got a guy before me over there. I believe his name is Dyami Brown. I don’t know how many catches he had—you guys can probably tell me that—or how many yards he had, but I don’t forget things like that. I see him across the sideline from where I’m standing during the game, and I’m gonna give every team hell…I didn’t see him in the game much.”
Brown, drafted in the third round (No. 82 overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft, was selected 30 picks before St. Brown, who the Lions took in the fourth round (No. 112 overall). While Amon-Ra St. Brown has since become a three-time Pro Bowler, a two-time NFL All-Pro, and one of the league’s highest-paid wideouts with a four-year, $120 million contract signed in April 2024, Dyami Brown has struggled to find similar success.
Brown posted career highs in 2024 with 30 receptions for 308 yards. His career totals of 59 receptions, 784 yards, and four touchdowns pale in comparison to St. Brown’s rookie season alone, which featured 90 receptions, 912 yards, and five touchdowns.
However, in Sunday’s NFC Divisional Round, the most significant game of both players’ careers, Brown emerged as a key difference-maker.
Brown delivered a standout performance with six receptions for 98 yards in the Commanders’ win over the Lions. Across playoff victories over Detroit and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown has tallied 11 receptions for 187 yards and one touchdown.
Meanwhile, St. Brown recorded eight receptions for 137 yards in the Lions’ loss.
“It’s Playoff Dyami,” joked PFT Commenter, co-host of “Pardon My Take” and a noted Commanders fan, on January 19. “Not once over four seasons did he have over four receptions in a game, and now he’s done it twice in two playoff games. Playoff Dyami is a different guy.”
Brown’s Future Value on the Rise
Brown’s late-season surge and playoff performances may boost his value as he approaches free agency.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine identified the Las Vegas Raiders as a team that could pursue Brown.
“A No. 1 option to replace Davante Adams would be ideal, but they might have a hard time finding that in free agency,” Ballentine wrote on December 30. “They could also use another deep threat. That’s where Dyami Brown could come into play. The 25-year-old receiver hasn’t hit his ceiling in Washington but flashes the ability to make plays downfield along with good YAC skills. He’d be worth exploring for a young team like the Raiders.”
Brown is in the final year of the four-year, $4.94 million rookie contract he signed in 2021. A realistic starting point for a new deal could be in the range of $5 million per year, with a potential offer of three years, $15 million.
