The New England Patriots knew they needed to find Drake Maye a prime weapon. They unsuccessfully attempted to sign or trade for several stars, like Brandon Aiyuk, and ended up signing Stefon Diggs to a lofty three-year deal.
That move was met with mixed reviews. He was coming off a major injury and was on the back end of his prime. More than that, he had a history of burning bridges, and his character was a walking red flag.
That's why the front office structured the deal in a way that allowed the Patriots to pull the plug if things didn't work out in year one. Now, after watching his disappearing act in the Super Bowl and more accusations come off the field, it's safe to say the Patriots should ditch the wideout.
Stefon Diggs Could be Valuable to Other Teams
According to Over The Cap, the Patriots have $40.5 million in available cap space right now, so any decision to move on from Diggs won't stem from a financial need. It would just be a statement and the team saying that they don't want all the trouble that comes with having him on the roster.
Moving on from Diggs\ could free up between $16.8 million and $22.5 million, depending on whether they cut or trade him and whether they do it before or after June 1. And even though he didn't close out the season on a high note, other teams could still be tempted to make a run at him.
Teams like the Denver Broncos or the Cleveland Browns could be in the market for another pass catcher. There's also the Philadelphia Eagles, a team with a history of making the most of disengaged players. They can even try to use him to replace A.J. Brown, who's likely to be traded. Diggs comes with plenty of baggage, but he might still have some upside.
Diggs might also want to call it quits and pursue a new challenge somewhere else. That would give him yet another clean slate and a final chance to play for a contender. The Patriots will face a tougher schedule next season, and they might not be able to replicate the successes of the 2025 campaign.
Stefon Diggs is who he is, and he's not going to change. He did register 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns last season, but he was nowhere to be found when it mattered the most -- again -- and at 32 years old, with his history, whoever trades for him might be making a costly gamble, but this line of business sometimes rewards risk.