From the start of the 2026 offseason, the Patriots were linked to a trade for wide receiver A.J. Brown because it seemed the Eagles were ready to move on, and he wanted to reunite with the head coach who never wanted him traded in the first place, Mike Vrabel.
It was an exciting development for Patriots fans, who have longed for Brown to join the team since Bill Belichick mistakenly passed on him for N'Keal Harry in the 2019 Draft, and it took only four more months for it to happen.
But that meant the team had to rebuild its receiving corps, starting with the unexpected release of Stefon Diggs just one year into his three-year deal. It was a shocking move after the receiver recorded the first 1,000-yard season since Julian Edelman in 2019 and had clearly built strong chemistry with Drake Maye and his teammates.
Rumors suggested he would return to the team before the 2026 season began, only for the Patriots to pass and watch him sign with the Commanders instead.
Since joining his hometown team, Diggs has continued to prove that the negativity about him stemming from his time with the Bills was unfounded, and has further shown how bad a decision it was for the Patriots to cut him.
Stefon Diggs might have found a permanent home with the Commanders
If it wasn't already a mistake when the Patriots released Diggs, then it surely is just two weeks into the season.
Not only because they have lost A.J. Brown to a high ankle sprain from their Super Bowl rematch in Week 1 and could easily use him on the roster right now, especially since they also traded Kayshon Boutte, but also because Diggs has already made a major impact on the Commanders' offense, which will only get stronger with their starting quarterback sidelined.
Taking on a WR2 role behind Terry McLaurin has benefited everyone, with Diggs already logging 9 receptions for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns. He's been the No. 2 pass-catcher for Jayden Daniels and, presumably, Marcus Mariota moving forward, while also showing the valuable traits that make him a great leader.
All the questions Commanders fans had about what they were getting with Diggs have already been answered. Concerns about whether he would be a good teammate and avoid being a poor sport are no longer in the conversation.
That's exactly the kind of player the Patriots got in their one season with Diggs, and now they have to watch him flourish elsewhere, which hurts even more given the offensive struggles they're dealing with now.
Perhaps the most frustrating part is that they could very easily have had him on the roster for the 2026 season if they hadn't randomly decided they didn't want to pay him the contract they offered him last year. Or if they restructured his deal in a way that worked for everyone.
Instead, they're counting down the days until Brown can come back, hoping Romeo Doubs can replicate his performance against the Steelers, and waiting for Kyle Williams to be the player they believed he could be on draft night.
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