The New England Patriots pulled the plug on the Stefon Diggs experiment almost right away. He was one of the team's first offseason casualties, and there has been little to no buzz around him in free agency so far.
The draft is already in the books, meaning that teams can now sign big-name free agents without it hurting the compensatory pick formula. Nevertheless, Diggs' phone still hasn't rung, and it might be a while before that changes.
Is This the End of the Line for Stefon Diggs?
On paper, Diggs can still be a productive player. Despite coming off a major injury, he still managed to top 1,000 receiving yards in his lone season in Foxborough. He may have lost some of his twitchiness, and he's never been a speedster, but he's still got reliable hands.
Then again, he wasn't a factor in the playoffs. Granted, the Patriots' offense struggled mightily in the postseason, as Drake Maye faced constant duress, but he was supposed to be the veteran chain-mover, the possession receiver Maye could trust when things got tough. That wasn't the case.
Diggs was also tangled up in yet another major off-the-field scandal. That has, unfortunately, been a recurring issue with him for most of his career. While he carried himself professionally with the Patriots, he has a long history of power struggles, locker room issues, and burning bridges. Perhaps teams believe it's just a matter of time before he acts up again, which might be another reason why the Patriots chose to show him the door, rather than wait for him to outstay his welcome.
According to Spotrac, Diggs' next contract is projected to be for two years and $27.6 million, an average annual value of $13.8 million. That's a bit too steep for someone who was mostly an overpriced decoy in the postseason and who may not be trusted to stay out of trouble. However, if he's willing to play for less, some teams might be tempted to give him another shot.
The wide receiver market will most likely move in the next couple of days. Jauan Jennings, Deebo Samuel, and Tyreek Hill are also unsigned, but it shouldn't be long before they find a team. The San Francisco 49ers might also part ways with Brandon Aiyuk after failing to find a trade suitor. That may also hurt Diggs' market value, but once everybody else is signed, he should have more options. Perhaps even the Patriots may want him back, especially if they fail to trade for A.J. Brown.
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