The New England Patriots’ decision to release wide receiver Stefon Diggs earlier this offseason was complicated. On one hand, he was the team’s most productive pass catcher, showed a strong on-field rapport with quarterback Drake Maye, and carved out a clear role as one of the team’s top vocal leaders.
It was also impossible to ignore his dip in production late in the season, especially in the postseason. Diggs managed just 14 receptions on 20 targets over New England’s four playoff games, including Super Bowl LX. Aside from a big touchdown reception in traffic in the Patriots' divisional-round win over Houston, Diggs’ overall impact was minimal.
Diggs was about to enter his age-33 season, with a $20.6 million base salary for 2026 and a pending legal issue for alleged assault and strangulation of his former personal chef. It made sense for the Patriots to cut ties prior to March 13, when an additional $6 million of Diggs’ salary was scheduled to become guaranteed.
Now weeks after the 2026 NFL Draft, Diggs remains a free agent. As the Associated Press reported on Tuesday, his legal issues are now behind him, as he was found not guilty in a trial that lasted just two days. Coming off a 1,000-yard season with the Patriots, he more than proved he could help a contending team, especially as a slot receiver to help move the chains on third down.
Diggs figures to land somewhere before NFL training camps kick off this summer. And after proving the Patriots right in supporting him amid his latest off-the-field drama, fans of the team are now wondering the same thing, as shown in the comments section of this tweet by Carlos Lopez: Could Diggs be welcomed back to Foxboro on a new contract?
You can see Stefon Diggs holding back his emotions when he was found not guilty…
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) May 5, 2026
From the beginning, Diggs was adamant of his innocence and the #Patriots organization quickly expressed their stance as well.
Glad he got everything cleared up pic.twitter.com/nxznkoOOsW
Based on all the offseason intel, the answer to that question is painfully obvious.
Why a potential Stefon Diggs reunion is more complicated than it sounds
Could Diggs become a prime fallback option for the Patriots if their expected June 1 trade for A.J. Brown falls through? That could certainly make sense for both parties, but based on the current roster, it seems most likely that the Diggs experiment is over in Foxboro.
The team’s decision to sign the 26-year-old Romeo Doubs to a four-year deal with close to $40 million in guarantees speaks volumes. Doubs has the positional versatility and route-running prowess to fill Diggs’ role in the offense, and the team should be looking to clear more opportunities for Kyle Williams, who was blocked from meaningful reps in his rookie year. Kayshon Boutte’s name has been floated in trade rumors, most likely tied to the team’s expected pursuit of Brown. Mack Hollins remains under contract as one of the offense’s snap-count leaders in 2025, and the Patriots still have DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism in the mix as depth options.
Diggs might have been the closest thing the Patriots have had to WR1 in recent memory, but the reality here is that the team’s wide receiver room is out of chairs. Aside from acquiring Brown and subsequently moving on from Boutte, New England’s depth chart is set at wide receiver.
Fortunately for Diggs, his legal issues appear to be behind him and he can now focus on finding a new NFL home. The fit with Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel worked wonders last year, but a reunion in 2026 still feels like a major long shot.
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