The New England Patriots offense will look different next season after the news that Stefon Diggs will be released, as first reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. After signing a three-year deal with the Patriots last offseason, Diggs has seen his time in Foxboro come to an end after just one season.
In his lone year with the Patriots, Diggs enjoyed a bounce-back campaign after tearing his ACL during the 2024 season as a member of the Houston Texans, finishing with 1,013 yards. This made Diggs the first Patriots wide receiver to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark since Julian Edelman did so in 2019. Even with his good performance on the field, Diggs' release isn't the most surprising development given his contract situation.
With Diggs all but officially gone, rookie receiver Kyle Williams could be poised for a much larger role in his second season in New England.
Kyle Williams Has Chance to Prove Worth After Pats' Diggs Decision
During the 2025 NFL draft, the Patriots selected Kyle Williams in the third round, which is typically a signal that the rookie is expected to serve a role on the team right off the bat. The former Washington State product enjoyed a strong final season in college, finishing with 70 receptions for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns. His rookie season as a professional wasn't the best, though, with Williams only recording 10 receptions for 209 yards and three touchdowns.
Entering his second season, Williams will have a huge opportunity to earn more playing time now that Diggs is gone. Coming out of college, Williams' defining traits were his ability to track deep passes and create chunk plays running with the ball after catches. We've seen his ability after the catch on display on a 72-yard touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with most of those yards coming after the catch.
New England's wide receiver room lacked a player with breakaway speed, something that Williams can provide. He can take simple catches and turn them into big gains, and should be given the opportunity next season to showcase what he can do. Adding an element of speed at receiver is a must, especially after seeing how the offense struggled to score consistently during the playoffs.
It will be interesting to see how New England approaches free agency once it opens next week, especially now that Diggs has been informed of his fate. One name that Patriots fans should monitor is Indianapolis Colts wide receiver, Alec Pierce. If they can add him and Kyle Williams grows as a player in his second season with Maye, New England's offense would be an upgrade from this past season.