At the start of the NFL‘s new league year on March 11, the New England Patriots released wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
“Stefon Diggs had an additional $6 million set to become fully guaranteed next week Friday,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on March 4. “The Patriots didn't want to drag him along and informed him today they're moving on, giving him a jump start.”
Weeks later, Diggs remains a free agent. Pelissero joined The Rich Eisen Show to provide an update on Diggs’ dwindling market.
“I’ve asked on that,” Pelissero said. “I know that there were some nibbles early on with Stefon Diggs. He showed last year he can still play at a high level. Everything I’ve been told is they really got the most of him on the field, off the field, in the locker room last year. Obviously, there’s been a lot of other stuff swirling around with Stefon Diggs. But, for the Patriots, they just were ready to move on from that and go in a different direction.”
Pelissero continued, “It’s not like the guy can’t play anymore. He is certainly one of the top free agents that’s still on the board. You’ve got a bunch of guys with a ‘3’ in front of their age that are former All-Pro, Pro Bowl-type players. The thing is, at this stage in free agency, you’re getting to that point [where] unless you’re willing to sign a one-year, $5 million-type deal, there’s just not a lot of offers out there.”
Pelissero noted that Diggs may very well end up signing a more lucrative contract, but for now, he’s in a pool with Deebo Samuel, DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen, and other free-agent veteran wide receivers without a home. Pelissero presumes Diggs won’t receive any movement until after the 2026 NFL Draft next month, especially for teams that miss on WR targets in the draft.
Diggs is entering his age-33 season. The one-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler had an on-field renaissance of sorts in New England last year after tearing his ACL as a Houston Texan in October 2024. Diggs led the Patriots in receiving with 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns and did not miss a game. New England finished 14-3 in the regular season and made it to Super Bowl LIX, where the Seattle Seahawks dispatched them, 29-13.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter casually floated that the Patriots “could bring back Stef Diggs.” Assuming Diggs’ New England days are behind him, his next team would be his fifth NFL team since the Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the fifth round in 2015.
Diggs’ best years came with the Buffalo Bills. He developed a lethal connection with 2024 NFL MVP quarterback Josh Allen and recorded at least 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons there. He led the NFL in targets (166), receptions (127), and yards (1,535) in 2020. As mentioned above, Diggs’ one year with the Texans was cut short, but he showed last year in New England that his glory days aren’t so far behind him that he can’t be productive for a wide receiver-needy team.
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