From the moment the Patriots announced they were releasing Stefon Diggs after just one season, fans were quick to believe he would either return almost immediately on a new contract or make his way back at some point before the 2026 season began.
Eliot Wolf hinted at that, too, further fueling the idea that Drake Maye would have two superstar receivers leading the offense to help make another Super Bowl push. But with training camp starting this week and the countless rumors connecting Diggs elsewhere, it seems beyond clear that he won't be returning to Foxboro any time soon.
In fact, he has been linked to a few notable teams, with the Chiefs and Commanders becoming the frontrunners in recent weeks.
Because Brandon Aiyuk has done a good job of ensuring almost every team won't want to sign or trade for him, especially Washington, Diggs has come onto their radar. Something similar can be said about the Chiefs, who many analysts believed would reunite with Tyreek Hill if it weren't for him nursing what appears to be a serious leg injury.
That has now prompted the idea that Diggs could go to another NFC contender instead, with Jarrett Bailey of SB Nation predicting that he will sign with the Cowboys, which gives the Patriots a reason to sigh with relief as they set to take on a difficult 2026 schedule.
The Patriots might have the luxury of not facing off against Stefon Diggs this season
As we know, the Patriots have a stellar defense that is on the cusp of reaching elite status, so playing against some of the best offensive talent in the league isn't at the top of the list of most concerning parts of the upcoming season.
However, if they can avoid a player like Diggs, who consistently got the best of New England's defense during his time with the Bills, then it's hard to be upset about that. That's what makes the idea of the Cowboys signing him even better, since they don't play them this year, but they do have the Chiefs on the docket.
Giving Dak Prescott another weapon is far more palatable than giving Patrick Mahomes someone like Diggs, that's for sure.
"Outside of stars CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, Dallas has zero depth at receiver. Ryan Flournoy, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Kavontae Turpin are the names behind the terrific duo - that simply won’t cut it.
Signing Diggs as a chess piece who can move around both on the perimeter and the slot, just like Lamb and Pickens can do, would give the Cowboys the best trio of pass-catchers in the NFL."
The idea of a team rostering a receiving corps led by Diggs, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens almost sounds like something straight out of a Madden video game, but there is a good chance it becomes a reality, with the Cowboys actively competing against the Eagles for the NFC East title.
There would be no excuses for their offense to fall flat, and Diggs almost certainly wants to play for a contender. Who better than the Cowboys with that roster?
That's a major plus for the Patriots, who could have faced the receiver at some point this fall, especially after the apparent uptick in interest from the Chiefs, and that's already going to be a difficult game for New England as it is. Adding Diggs into the mix would only make it worse.
He might not be the same player he once was, but we saw how capable he still is during his lone year in Foxboro, and there's plenty of reason not to want to see the defense deal with that again on game day. So there are more reasons than not to hope that Diggs will sign with a team not on their upcoming schedule.
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