The New England Patriots released Stefon Diggs earlier this offseason, but his re-signing with the team on a different deal could make sense.
The Patriots and Diggs reportedly failed to come to an agreement on a renegotiation of his deal. That certainly played into their decision to release him. The team signed Romeo Doubs, but reportedly remains interested in adding to the receiving corps. A.J. Brown’s name has been floating around, but the price may be too high.
If the Patriots want a receiver but do not want to give up what it will take to land Brown, re-signing Diggs would make plenty of sense. He already knows the system and has a relationship with Drake Maye. He emerged as a leader for the team last year, and the finances were really the only thing holding back his return.
Why would Diggs want to come back now? Well, he remains unsigned and may have gotten a better feel for his market. If no team is willing to give him a lucrative deal, and he is going to have to take a pay cut anyway, why not rejoin the team that he helped take to the Super Bowl?
On the flip side, why would the Patriots want him back? They already have Doubs now, but he has never been a No. 1 receiver in the NFL. Diggs was a 1,000-yard receiver last season, and pairing him with Doubs could do wonders for Maye. Additionally, eventually, the Patriots are going to have to either give up on Brown or pull the trigger. If they do not make a move for him, Diggs may be the best remaining option to upgrade their receiving corps.
Diggs and the Patriots did not seem to end on bad terms. He posted a message after his release, noting that he and the Patriots were “family forever.” Eliot Wolf did not rule out a reunion with Diggs in a recent interview.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve the team, so not gonna say that anything’s final at any position on the roster,” Wolf said. “We wish Stefon the best. He was a tremendous player for us all season. I feel like wherever he goes next – if it’s elsewhere, if he comes back here – he’s gonna have a tremendous season.”
Wolf also recently noted that finances and ability both played a role in Diggs’ being released. However, if he is willing to accept a cheaper deal, he could be a great fit. As far as ability goes, he is a very capable receiver, and would not have to carry as much of a load with Doubs also in the mix now.
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