Stefon Diggs
Getty
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox argued the New England Patriots will regret releasing veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
A lot of pundits saw the decision the New England Patriots faced with wide receiver Stefon Diggs this offseason as a difficult one. But before NFL free agency began, the team elected to move on.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on March 4 the Patriots were releasing Diggs. NFL.com’s Nick Shook wrote the decision was “purely financially motivated.”
New England parted ways with the receiver before an additional $6 million became fully guaranteed in his contract.
A week later, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox argued the Patriots will regret that decision.
“Diggs’ numbers might not have matched the three-year, $63.5 million contract he signed last offseason. However, he was still New England’s most reliable perimeter threat and one of the most efficient receivers in the NFL,” wrote Knox on March 11.
“The 32-year-old led the NFL in ESPN Analytics’ Catch Score by a large margin—Diggs had a catch score of 97, while George Kittle and Kayshon Boutte tied with a Catch Score of 91.
“Now, there may have been more than money in play with the Patriots’ decision—Diggs has ongoing legal issues stemming from assault allegations. The Patriots also grabbed former Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs with a four-year, $80 million deal.”
In his only season with the club, Diggs posted 85 catches for 1,013 receiving yards and four touchdowns. No other Patriots receiver had more than 551 yards in 2025.
Diggs counted as a $10.5 million cap hit during last season. In 2026, he was set to have a $26.5 million cap figure.