Getty
Stefon Diggs #8 of the New England Patriots
It is well known that when it comes to the choices the New England Patriots had in seeking a No. 1 wide receiver to put on the field with star quarterback Drake Maye, Stefon Diggs was not the first choice. Chris Godwin got a big offer which he turned down, and there was interest in bringing in DK Metcalf, but he would not sign with New England, which echoed the team’s previous failed attempts to land Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk. They wound up with Diggs–and were very lucky for it.
Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract with the Patriots last offseason, which was a hefty investment, except that it provided the Patriots with multiple off-ramps in case things did not work out with Diggs. The Patriots can waive him next month and be on the hook for only $6 million.
But Diggs had a huge impact this season, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards, leading a Patriots receiver room that badly needed an anchor. Diggs was that anchor, despite a weak three-catch, 37-yard performance in the 29-13 loss to Seattle in Sunday’s Super Bowl. Did he do enough, though, to warrant a Patriots return in 2026?
Patriots’ Stefon Diggs Might Still Be the Best Option
Bringing Diggs back with the Patriots won’t be cheap. He is due for a $28 million cap hit, which can be restructured but will be expensive nonetheless. If there is a time to escape the rest of the money Diggs has on his Patriots contract, it is now.
There is not a huge array of other options on the board, though, and with the Patriots still playing with ample cap space as Maye is on his rookie contract, dumping Diggs might not make sense without an alternative in mind.
Certainly, Diggs was emphatic about wanting to return. But he acknowledged that the ball is in the Patriots’ court.
“Oh (expletive). Unless they opt out of the contract,” Diggs said via MassLive. “I anticipate being here, so I hope so. Love my guys. I had a hell of a year playing with them. Built some real family-like bond, so I hope so, I don’t control it though.”
Patriots Will Monitor Legal Woes
There are other issues beyond the Patriots that will need to be sorted out for Diggs, though, starting with the legal case against him stemming from charges filed in December. Per WCVB TV in Boston, “According to new court documents, Diggs’s arraignment for felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges has been postponed from its original January 23 date.”
The new date for the arraignment, stemming from an allegation that Diggs hit and attempted to strangle a personal chef, is February 13.
Just before the Super Bowl, news of a lawsuit against Diggs alleging defamation and assault dropped, too, though that is a civil case, not a criminal one.
Stefon Diggs: ‘I’m Happy Where I’m At’
Perhaps the Patriots will foresee too much drama in the future with Diggs on board, and factor that into a decision to cut bait on their WR1. But to this point, the organization has supported Diggs, and it’s entirely possible that the legal matters will pass–prosecutors could pass on carrying his criminal case forward, and the lawsuit against him could fizzle out.
Either way, Diggs did say his time in New England has him wanting to stay put.
“Had a hell of a time in Minnesota, had a hell of a time in Buffalo, had hell of a time in Houston,” Diggs said. “I don’t compare and contrast. You know, comparison is the thief of joy. I had a good time at all those places. Did it work out? No. But I’m happy where I’m at right now and embrace what I got going on here, so I’m just super thankful.”
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
More Heavy on Patriots
Loading more stories
