The Patriots went into free agency this offseason with what most believed was a clear-cut plan to improve their roster, one of those goals being to upgrade their receiving corps. So it caught fans by surprise when they announced they were releasing Stefon Diggs, especially since he was the best receiver on the team in 2025.
He was one of their top signings last offseason and was immediately plugged in as the WR1 for Drake Maye. For the most part, Diggs performed that role and then some, but now he was set to hit the free agent market for the first time in his 11-year career.
Based on how well he bounced back from tearing his ACL in 2024, it was expected that teams would be clamoring to sign him despite his age, but that hasn't been the case so far. In fact, there haven't been any updates about where he could potentially land next over the past two weeks.
That's somewhat shocking, but even more shocking is the notion that he could return to New England, something Eliot Wolf didn't rule out recently. No matter what, though, it's clear that free agency hasn't been too kind to Diggs, as he's still hoping to find a team to play for.
Stefon Diggs remaining unsigned through two weeks of free agency is hard to fathom
Although his tenure in Buffalo didn't end well, Diggs was still well worth the investment for the Bills when they traded for him in 2020. He helped elevate quarterback Josh Allen to a new level over four years and certainly did so for Maye last year.
He made his mark on the Patriots roster, as he became a vocal leader on and off the field and impressed everyone from analysts and fans to the coaching staff with his maturity and natural leadership.
Now, he's on the outside looking in, and there's a chance both sides could regret the decision to move on.
Rumors suggested that the Patriots wanted to restructure the receiver's contract, but he wasn't interested, so their only move was to release him. But because they haven't managed to sign anyone other than Romeo Doubs, and Diggs is still unsigned, it's looking like a possibly regretful decision just two weeks later.
If New England isn't able to successfully trade for a clear WR1, like AJ Brown, before the 2026 season, cutting Diggs will look even worse. The receiving corps will take a significant step back, while Diggs could be thriving elsewhere.
Or, worst-case scenario, he isn't seriously pursued by many teams and remains unsigned into the summer. That's a disaster for a player of his caliber, and there's no real reason for teams to turn the other way based on how well he performed in 2025.
Regardless, it's an interesting situation to follow, particularly after Wolf's comments about entertaining the idea of re-signing Diggs, so we'll have to see what happens.