The likely upcoming trade for wide receiver AJ Brown has dominated the news cycle in New England over the past several weeks and will continue to do so until the June 1 date comes and goes, unless the two teams don't agree to a deal for some unknown reason.
And because of that, there is a lot of discussion about what the Patriots' receiving corps could look like in 2026. Adding Brown into the lineup would automatically make him the go-to weapon for Drake Maye, immediately elevating the group to a level we haven't seen since the Tom Brady days.
However, there is a strong belief that a player like Kayshon Boutte will be included in the Eagles deal so that the group will take a small hit, even with the addition of Romeo Doubs. That has had some fans longing for Stefon Diggs, who the Patriots released ahead of free agency earlier this year, as he remains unsigned.
The idea of a receiving corps led by Brown and Diggs almost sounds too good to be true, and according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, it might be just that.
Patriots fans shouldn't get their hopes up about a Stefon Diggs return
Although they made the Super Bowl in 2025 and there is a fair argument that the Patriots should bulk up their team to make another Championship run, so re-signing Diggs after trading for Brown would make a lot of sense, it doesn't appear to be a realistic option.
Breer said as much while speaking about the Brown trade last week, shutting down the dream idea of the Patriots putting the group over the top by also bringing back Diggs.
"Now, I believe the Patriots love Diggs, and Diggs would love to return. But any realistic talk about his return, to me, hinges on whether the Brown trade happens. Assuming Brown does become a Patriot, I think Diggs will probably be somewhere in that one-year, $10 million range.
The Chiefs could make sense. The Commanders might, too, since Diggs is from D.C. The Falcons and Rams would also be interesting landing spots."
While we should take what Breer has to say seriously, the idea of Diggs signing just a one-year deal for $10 million doesn't seem out of the realm of possibilities for the Patriots to pull off. It might be unlikely, but it depends on how far they're willing to go to give the team the best chance of replicating their 2025 success.
Considering they released him already and GM Eliot Wolf hasn't shot down the idea of bringing him back, we know it's, at the very least, a real possibility, even if it seems unlikely.
We'll probably get a better idea once the Brown deal happens, assuming it does, and whether Boutte is included. Romeo Doubs was said to be a top signing because he would help with the loss of production in Diggs' absence, so perhaps they don't need the veteran after all.
No matter what, bringing him back is something they should still seriously consider, as giving Maye the best group possible should be a priority. And the fact that Diggs is still unsigned seems like a sign in some way.
But at this point, it seems like a dream scenario that probably won't happen.
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