The New England Patriots knew they were taking a huge risk when they signed Stefon Diggs to a three-year, $69 million contract last offseason. He was coming off a season-ending injury, wasn't in his physical prime, and had a long history of character issues.
That's why they structured his contract so they could part ways with him with no dead cap hit after one year. Diggs was a non-factor in the playoffs and was facing some serious accusations off the field, so the Pats didn't hesitate to pull the plug on him early in the offseason.
Fast forward to today, and there's little to no buzz surrounding Diggs or his potential next destination. Clearly, the Patriots judged the situation perfectly, and they made the right call by moving on from him at that point.
Partiots Made the Right Call to Ditch Stefon Diggs
Diggs would've carried a $26.5 million cap hit for the upcoming season, and cutting him saved them $22.3 million. The Patriots had $57 million in available cap space after his release, according to ESPN, so letting him go helped them both financially and in terms of improving the team's off-field vibes.
Diggs's lack of production in the postseason and well-documented history of antics and burning bridges may have also played a factor. That said, the Patriots made a risky bet, as they were left without a clear-cut WR1 before ultimately signing Romeo Doubs, who still has much to prove.
Diggs's only season in Foxborough wasn't that bad. He was their first 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019, hauling in 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns, and he showed strong chemistry with Drake Maye.
Other big-name wide receivers, such as Alec Pierce (four years, $114 million with Indianapolis Colts) and Mike Evans (three years, $42.4 million with San Francisco 49ers), have signed their new deals, and the lack of rumors surrounding Diggs speaks volumes about how teams see him right now.
2025 Stats | Stefon Diggs | Alec Pierce | Mike Evans |
|---|---|---|---|
Games Played | 17 | 15 | 8 |
Targets | 102 | 84 | 62 |
Receptions | 85 | 47 | 30 |
Receiving Yards | 1,013 | 1,003 | 368 |
Yards Per Catch | 11.9 | 21.3 | 12.3 |
Yards Per Game | 59.6 | 66.9 | 46.0 |
Touchdowns | 4 | 6 | 3 |
The Patriots didn't rule out bringing Diggs back at some point, but he's likely going to have to take a significant pay cut to do so. Also, that may only happen if they don't end up with A.J. Brown, who's reportedly still on their trade radar, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
That said, Diggs is the type of player who comes with plenty of baggage, and it reaches a point where teams aren't willing to deal with all the stuff. Given his age and problematic reputation, he may have to settle for signing with a desperate, non-contending team that needs a big-name wide receiver.
In all likelihood, Diggs is either looking at remaining unsigned or signing a cheap "prove-it" contract. Regardless, it's becoming clear that the Patriots made the right call by turning the page on him.