In a cost-saving move, the New England Patriots are releasing wide receiver Stefon Diggs after one year, league sources told The Athletic.
Diggs’ lone campaign with the Pats was a productive one, but the looming cap hit of $26.5 million that he would’ve been in line for in 2026 prompted the transaction.
What complicates the move for New England is that the wide receiver position was already one of the team’s most pressing needs. Now, it’s arguably the most important position to address this offseason, and that ups the intrigue surrounding a potential trade for A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Patriots could go after Brown partly because this group of free-agent wide receivers isn’t great, meaning they may be forced to pivot to either trading for Brown or using an early draft pick on a wide receiver. Though in a bit of a surprise, it looks like Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce will hit the open market next week, which would make him a prime option for the Patriots since his ability to win deep would fit nicely with Drake Maye.
Diggs, 32, was an important piece of a Patriots team that reached the Super Bowl this past season. He helped flip the locker-room culture and was an important mentor to young Patriots receivers. On the field, he became the team’s first receiver in six years to top 1,000 receiving yards, posting 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns.
Now, the Pats need to figure out how to replace their most productive wideout. As it stands, Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte are the top receivers on the roster. Diggs was the team’s only wide receiver last season to record more than 600 yards.
Diggs was a fifth-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 and is likely best known for his “Minneapolis Miracle” touchdown reception from Case Keenum in Jan. 2018 that secured a walk-off playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints. After being traded to the Buffalo Bills, Diggs posted four Pro Bowl seasons from 2020 to 2023, during which he averaged 111 receptions, 1,343 receiving yards and nine touchdowns per season. Before signing with the Patriots last spring, Diggs spent the 2024 season with the Houston Texans, where he played well before suffering a torn ACL in Week 8 and missing the rest of the season.
Diggs faces felony charges of strangulation or suffocation stemming from a December incident involving his private chef. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 1 after his initial arraignment was postponed so he could play in the Super Bowl.
