The New England Patriots are still less than a month removed from playing in the Super Bowl in San Francisco against the Seattle Seahawks.
While they lost that game 29–13, the Patriots were ahead of schedule under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel and second-year quarterback Drake Maye leading the offense.
They finished 14–3, won the AFC East, and rallied off three postseason victories to reach the final game. However, it hasn't taken them long to start making significant changes.
On Wednesday, it was reported that New England will release veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs after just one season - a move largely driven by his 2026 cap hit that was set to rise from from $10.5 million to $26.5 million.
Diggs was the Patriots' leading wide receiver and the only player at the position to surpass 1,000 receiving yards, meaning the team will have plenty of production to replace.
Maye reacted to the news Thursday morning.
The young quarterback had developed a strong connection with Diggs during their lone season together and kept his response simple, posting a photo of the two on his Instagram story while tagging him and adding a heart emoji.
The move, if it was going to be made, had to happen around this time before the new league year begins next week. If Diggs had remained on the roster by the end of next week, he would have been set to receive an additional $6 million in guaranteed money on his contract.
This move puts the Patriots in a position where they'll now need to be aggressive in free agency when targeting playmakers on the outside to help Maye. One name that has consistently been mentioned is a potential trade involving Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.
As of now, the Eagles' asking price remains quite high, and Brown is under contract through 2029. That said, it's no secret that he has shown some frustration in recent months. While a move isn't guaranteed, it's certainly possible, and New England currently has the second-best odds to land him, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
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