Patriots Intend To Release Stefon Diggs
The Patriots have informed wide receiver Stefon Diggs that they will release him at the start of the league year next week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Diggs took to Instagram to thank the Patriots on Wednesday.
It will be a one-and-done stint in New England for Diggs, who signed a three-year, $63.3MM deal with the team last spring. Diggs was then recovering from an October 2024 ACL tear that occurred during his lone year with the Texans. Also a former Viking and Bill, Diggs showed no ill effects from his injury last season.
Playing all 17 regular-season games, the four-time Pro Bowler ended up an integral part of a New England team that stunningly improved from 4-13 to 14-3 in 2025. The Patriots won the AFC East and advanced to Super Bowl LX, where they fell to the Seahawks, 29-13.
The 32-year-old Diggs was MVP candidate Drake Maye‘s favorite option throughout the season. Diggs easily led the Patriots in receptions (85), targets (102) and yards (1,013). He also grabbed four touchdowns.
Diggs was less productive during the Pats’ four-game postseason run, in which he averaged just 7.9 yards on 14 catches. His short Patriots tenure also included some unwanted off-field drama. A video of Diggs flashing an “unidentified pink substance” during a yacht party surfaced last May.
When asked about it, head coach Mike Vrabel said, “It’s something we’re aware of and obviously we want to make great decisions on and off the field.”
Diggs never received any punishment for that incident, and there was no further trouble for several months. However, that ended when a Dec. 2 incident involving Diggs came to light on Dec. 30. Diggs’ former personal chef told police he entered her unlocked bedroom during a financial dispute and “smacked her across the face.” She added that Diggs “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.”
Diggs pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of strangulation and a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery on Feb. 13. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 1. Depending on how the process plays out, Diggs could face disciplinary action from the league next season. That will hang over his head as he seeks another team in free agency.
The Patriots will no longer have to worry about a potential suspension for Diggs, though the loss of a seven-time 1,000-yard wideout will leave an obvious void in their receiving corps. Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown has come up as a potential trade target, but the Eagles’ asking price has been prohibitive to this point. In addition to Brown, the Diggs-less Patriots are sure to explore other possibilities this offseason.
The Pats already had upward of $39MM in cap space entering the day. Cutting Diggs will give them more money to pursue help at receiver and other positions. Once his release becomes official, the Patriots will add $16.8MM in spending room at the cost of $9.7MM in dead cap. They will also avoid paying $6MM in base salary that would have vested on March 13.
Patriots Interested In WR A.J. Brown
The Patriots spent 2024 exhausting just about every avenue to add a marquee wide receiver. Their Calvin Ridley free agency pursuit failed, and Brandon Aiyuk opted to return to the 49ers rather than be traded to New England. Last year, however, Stefon Diggs provided substantial help by posting his seventh 1,000-yard season.
As PFR’s Ben Levine noted in his Patriots Offseason Outlook, Diggs is not a lock to be back in Foxborough. The mercurial veteran is due see $6MM of his 2026 compensation become guaranteed March 13. Diggs’ cap number climbs from $10.5MM last year to $26.5MM in 2026, putting a separation on the radar. But the Patriots could potentially keep Diggs and add another impact veteran.
The team is interested in reuniting Mike Vrabel and A.J. Brown, MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian and Mark Daniels report. Vrabel coached Brown for three seasons with the Titans and was not believed to be happy when the team traded the high-end WR during the 2022 draft.
Brown has been a persistent issue in Philadelphia, but the former Tennessee standout has been one of the most productive skill-position players in Eagles history. Going into an age-29 season, he would be a valuable piece in a trade. Nick Sirianni stopped short of guaranteeing Brown would be back, and the Eagles are prepared to listen to offers.
Philly is believed to be setting a high price on Brown, who has gone 4-for-4 — despite bemoaning his role in the offense at various points — in 1,000-yard receiving seasons with the team. It might take first- and second-round picks — at least, that may be the asking price — to pry Brown from the NFC East club. That would be a difficult move for a team to make for a receiver with seven years’ experience, but Brown’s option bonus-laden contract runs through the 2029 season. That would be valuable for a team, should it feel comfortable acquiring the high-maintenance performer.
Despite a massive dead money number if the Eagles were to trade Brown before June 1, the team is expected to make a decision by March 9 — when the legal tampering period begins. Trading Brown before June 1 would level the Eagles with a 43.45MM dead cap charge, a record for his position. They would also lose $20.12MM in spending room. Meanwhile, an acquiring team would have to take on what’s left of the three-year, $96MM extension Brown signed before the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning 2024 campaign.
The Patriots would be picking up a $29MM guarantee on Brown’s 2026 money, but little locked-in compensation exists in this contract beyond this coming season. As PFR’s Connor Byrne noted in his Eagles Offseason Outlook, the team moving on before March 13 would allow them to pass a $4MM 2027 guarantee for the wideout to another club. Option bonuses worth $19.41MM, $29.36MM and $28.32MM are in place for 2027, ’28 and ’29, per Spotrac. The Eagles rely heavily on option bonuses for cap purposes. That will make moving Brown now difficult for the perennial contender.
A need may exist for the Patriots to restructure Diggs’ contract, per Guregian and Daniels. The Pats could reduce Diggs’ $20.6MM 2026 salary by moving money into a signing bonus, thus increasing the dead money hit in 2027. It would be unlikely Diggs will be keen on accepting a pay cut after being the runaway receiving leader on an AFC champion, but the Pats look to be trying to get the 32-year-old WR’s cap hit down. Diggs also faces a potential suspension for an alleged assault. He pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges earlier this month.
New England has rookie-deal wideouts Kayshon Boutte and Demario Douglas signed for one more season apiece. Mack Hollins‘ two-year, $8.4MM contract also runs through 2026. Holding just more than $40MM in cap space, the Patriots have also been linked to Maxx Crosby in a trade. It would be highly unlikely New England could acquire both, but a Brown resolution figures to come before Crosby, whom the Raiders want to retain. Crosby is also in the process of recovering from knee surgery.
In addition to creating a massive dead money figure, the Eagles would have a major receiving need alongside DeVonta Smith. Philly’s aerial attack has run through Brown, Smith and Dallas Goedert for four seasons now. Goedert is due for free agency next month. While Howie Roseman is one of the most aggressive GMs in NFL history, the Eagles remember being deficient at receiver not too long ago. Misses on JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Jalen Reagor left Philly in need as the Carson Wentz era ended, and the Smith and Brown moves turned the position into a strength.
For his issues with the Eagles’ passing game at times, Brown spoke highly of his current employer recently. Will the Eagles cash out on Brown in his 20s and move back into unknown territory at wideout? It appears we are close to finding out.
Stefon Diggs Pleads Not Guilty To Strangulation, Assault Charges
Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of strangulation and a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery on Friday, the Associated Press reports. He’s scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 1.
The charges against Diggs, which came to light on Dec. 30, stem from an alleged incident that took place Dec. 2. Diggs’ former personal chef told police he entered her unlocked bedroom during a financial dispute and “smacked her across the face.” She added that Diggs “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.”
Although Diggs made a financial offer to settle the matter, his attorney, David Meier, has claimed the alleged victim’s version of events “did not occur.” Mitchell Schuster, another member of Diggs’ legal team, expressed confidence on Friday that his client “will be completely exonerated” (via TMZ).
Friday’s arraignment had been scheduled for Jan. 23, two days before the AFC title game, but it was postponed three weeks. That enabled Diggs to evade potential disciplinary action from the NFL during the postseason. The league otherwise could have placed him on paid leave.
Diggs and the Patriots beat the Broncos to win the AFC, but they fell 29-13 to the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX last Sunday. While their season didn’t end well, the campaign was nonetheless a resounding success for the Patriots. Diggs, whom the Pats brought in on a three-year, $63.3MM deal last spring, ended up an integral part of their dramatic one-season turnaround in 2025.
After winning four games in 2024, the Patriots stunningly went 14-3 en route to AFC East and conference crowns. Diggs led the Patriots in receptions (85), targets (102) and yards (1,013), also adding four touchdowns. While his production was very good in 2025, the Patriots could move on from Diggs this offseason if they’re concerned with his off-field issues and age (32).
If Diggs is still a Patriot on March 13, $6MM of his $20.6MM base salary for next season will become guaranteed. Releasing him before then would open up $18.5MM in spending room and leave the team with $8MM in dead money.
Regardless of how the Patriots proceed with Diggs, the league will continue to closely monitor his legal situation during the offseason. Depending on how it unfolds, a suspension could be on the table at some point in 2026.
Stefon Diggs’ Arraignment Postponed Past End Of Playoffs
In the final days of the calendar year, Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs found himself facing legal trouble stemming from an alleged incident in early December. According to Travis Anderson of The Boston Globe, Diggs will not need to miss time for legal proceedings after a judge granted his request to postpone the arraignment until February 13, five days after Super Bowl LX. 
The allegations, which Diggs has denied, see the veteran pass catcher facing a charge of felony strangulation or suffocation and a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery on a personal chef. The female chef was allegedly working as a private chef for Diggs when a financial dispute arose. In a police report, she alleged that Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom and, as the dispute continued in-person, “smacked her across the face.” She then claims that Diggs “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck” and that she feared she may pass out as a result.
David Meier, Diggs’ attorney, has asserted Diggs innocence, claiming that the actions as the alleged victim has stated them “did not occur.” He classified the situation as “an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction,” and announced that Diggs “looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.” At the same time, Meier also made it known that Diggs is seeking a financial resolution with his accuser.
Diggs’ teammate, defensive tackle Christian Barmore, is facing domestic assault charges of his own, which emerged the day after Diggs’ situation hit the media circuit. The NFL has released a statement recently to say that both players remain eligible to play as the postseason is set to begin this weekend. If the team does end up getting as far as the Super Bowl, Barmore will likely need to request a similar postponement. His arraignment is currently scheduled for February 3, five days before the league’s season finale.
Assuming New England wins its first two playoff games, though, both Diggs and Barmore should remain available throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. This is ideal news for an offense that has seen Diggs’ receiving yards total (1,013) nearly double that of the next closest receiver (Kayshon Boutte, 551).
Patriots WR Stefon Diggs Facing Strangulation, Assault Charges
Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs is facing a charge of felony strangulation or suffocation as well as a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery, according to records from Dedham District Court (Mass.) released on Tuesday.
As detailed by Matt Schooley of CBS News Boston, the charges stem from an alleged incident which took place on December 2. Diggs has denied the allegations. The 32-year-old wide receiver’s arraignment is set to take place January 23, though Schooley notes a judge agreed to consider delaying the it until March.
“The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs,” a team statement reads. “Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Diggs has made a financial offer to resolve the dispute with the alleged victim, according to Schooley. Diggs’ attorney argued for the police report to be impounded in order to have the details remain sealed. As it stands, details are sparse at this time. Since the charges stem from an unknown incident, it is difficult to project a potential stay on the rarely used commissioner’s exempt list. That would sideline Diggs while the case is being adjudicated.
Diggs is in his first year with the Patriots, having signed a three-year, $63.5MM deal that came with $16.6MM guaranteed at signing. While only $1.7MM of Diggs’ 2026 compensation came guaranteed at signing, an additional $6MM becomes guaranteed in March, according to Spotrac. Any suspension under the NFL’s personal conduct policy would stand to void future guarantees on this contract.
Previously tied to the Vikings, Bills and Texans, Diggs has never been suspended during his career. An odd headline did surface during Diggs’ first New England offseason, however. A video showed him flashing an “unidentified pink substance” while partying on a boat with a number of women. No NFL discipline came his way in connection with the video. Diggs welcomed a child with rapper Cardi B in November.
Playing a key role in Drake Maye‘s second-year surge, Diggs has recovered from the ACL tear he sustained midway through his lone Houston season. He leads the Patriots with 82 receptions for 970 yards, adding four touchdowns. The four-time Pro Bowler is close to surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the seventh time in his career.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Patriots WR Stefon Diggs Has Played Through Fractured Finger
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs‘ first season in New England has gone swimmingly. The four-time Pro Bowler has emerged as quarterback Drake Maye‘s favorite target during a surprising 10-2 start for the Patriots, winners of nine in a row and currently the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
The Patriots’ decision to sign Diggs to a three-year, $69MM deal last March came after an injury-shortened campaign with the Texans. Playing his lone season in Houston, the former Viking and Bill tore his ACL in Week 8 and didn’t return.
Diggs recovered quickly enough to return for Week 1 this season, and his knee hasn’t hampered him at all during New England’s scorching start. The 32-year-old has appeared in all 12 of the Patriots’ games and piled up 61 catches on 75 targets, 679 yards, and three scores.
While Diggs’ knee hasn’t been a problem this year, that doesn’t mean he’s at full strength. A few days before the Patriots’ win over the Bengals last Sunday, Diggs told reporters that he has been playing through a fractured finger for a couple of weeks (via Mike Reiss of ESPN). That seems like a concerning injury for a pass catcher, but Diggs downplayed the severity.
“Least of my worries,” Diggs said.
Diggs had one of his quietest games of the year in Cincinnati, which held him to two catches for 20 yards on three targets. He and the Patriots’ other main receivers (Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, and Demario Douglas) largely took a backseat to tight end Hunter Henry, who led the way with seven grabs, 115 yards, and a score.
Looking to put together a 10-game winning streak for the first time since the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era, the Patriots will head into a Week 13 meeting with the Giants on Monday. The Pats have a bye after that, which will give Diggs’ finger extra time to heal as he and the team push for a division title and the top spot in the conference.
WR Stefon Diggs Chose Patriots Over Broncos In Free Agency
Stefon Diggs has been a key factor in the Patriots’ 2025 success so far. The free agent addition drew interest from other suitors, with one finalist emerging before his ultimate decision to join New England.
Diggs’ decision came down to the Patriots over the Broncos, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports (video link). Denver was known to be in the market for a veteran addition at the receiver spot this past spring, but no major moves took place on that front. The Broncos would have been interested in Diggs (along with Cooper Kupp) on a low-cost deal, but in both cases a lucrative pact wound up being signed.
Indeed, Diggs secured $16.6MM in full guarantees on his three-year, $63.5MM Patriots contract. Further locked-in money exists in the form of injury guarantees, a sign of New England’s confidence a full recovery from Diggs’ 2024 ACL tear would take place. The soon-to-be 32-year-old has played every game so far this season, comfortably leading the team in receiving yards (659) and scoring three touchdowns.
Continued production will help the Patriots maintain their chase for the AFC’s top seed and move all parties further away from the uncertainty which surrounded Diggs in the offseason. Questions about New England cutting the four-time Pro Bowler were initially raised in the wake of the “unidentified pink substance” video and head coach Mike Vrabel‘s reaction to it. In the end, the team elected to proceed with Diggs in the fold.
That decision has certainly paid off to date. On the other hand, though, Denver’s hesitation to make a big free agent splash has not prevented the team from enjoying a strong campaign as well. The Broncos sit atop the AFC West with an 8-2 record (albeit with questions about their consistency in the passing game) and offseason signings like safety Talanoa Hufanga have played a critical role in their success.
The Broncos did not wind up making any receiver additions at the trade deadline, so their performances at the position down the stretch will be worth watching. In the meantime, Diggs will aim to continue operating as a central figure in New England’s offense for the closing stages of 2025 and beyond.
Patriots WR Stefon Diggs Receives Full Medical Clearance
With training camp approaching, it remained to be seen if Stefon Diggs would be moved to the physically unable to perform list due to his ACL recovery. The free agent addition was not among the players New England recently placed on the PUP list, however, suggesting he would be good to go for padded practices.
Indeed, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports Diggs has been cleared for full participation in training camp. The four-time Pro Bowler was limited in spring practices and noted last month that his recovery was not yet complete. The final stages of the rehab process have clearly taken place without issue, though, meaning Diggs will be a welcomed presence leading up to the regular season.
The Patriots were understandably in the market for a notable receiver addition this offseason given the nature of their depth chart at that spot in 2024. Diggs – whose Texans run ended in Week 8 when he tore his ACL – signed a three-year, $63.5MM deal to return to the AFC East. Expectations will be high for him as the team’s No. 1 receiver with quarterback Drake Maye entering Year 2 in the NFL. Diggs’ opening months as a Patriot were not without controversy, but with the team committed to him, he will spend the summer working his way back to his pre-injury form.
Diggs topped 1,000 yards every year from 2018-23, and he would have had a strong chance of continuing that streak last season if he had remained healthy. The 31-year-old’s 62 receiving yards per game were, on the other hand, his lowest since the 2017 campaign. Questions will be asked about Diggs’ ability to handle WR1 duties at this stage of his career, but providing Maye with a veteran pass-catching option should be highly valuable as the Patriots look to take a needed step forward on offense.
New England also has the likes of Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte and Javon Baker in the fold entering camp. 2024 second-rounder Ja’Lynn Polk‘s performances will be worth watching given his uncertain roster status, but another storyline to follow will be Diggs and how he fares with a clean bill of health.
Patriots WR Stefon Diggs To Start Season On PUP?
Both the Patriots and Stefon Diggs have seemingly moved on from an early-summer video that had new head coach Mike Vrabel imploring his players to make “great decisions.” Soon, focus will turn to the practice field, but it’s still uncertain how much the veteran receiver will be involved in August workouts.
As Diggs continues to work his way back from a torn ACL, Chad Graff of The Athletic writes that the wideout will likely open camp by “working on the side.” Graff adds that Diggs has been expected to start the regular season on the physically unable to perform list, but the acquisition’s spring performance has sparked optimism that he could be ready to go for Week 1.
Despite a knee injury prematurely ending Diggs’ lone season with the Texans, the former All-Pro receiver still garnered a three-year, $63.5MM deal from the Patriots in free agency. While the 2025 campaign will represent Diggs’ age-32 season, the Patriots are expecting the addition to elevate both their receivers room and second-year QB Drake Maye.
As Graff writes, Diggs impressed during minicamp. The receiver was lauded for mentoring the team’s younger wideouts, and his performance hinted that he could be ahead of schedule in his rehab. A video from May showed the wideout flashing an “unidentified pink substance” while partying on a boat, leading to speculation that the Patriots could look to bail early from the partnership. Instead, the Patriots decided to hang on to their free agent signing.
A stint on the PUP list would mean Diggs is forced to miss at least the first four games of the upcoming season. That would buy the Patriots some time as they navigate their relatively deep receivers corps. Diggs, Mack Hollins, and rookie third-round pick Kyle Williams have been described as the only definitively safe players on the depth chart, although holdover DeMario Douglas is also expected to secure a roster spot.
As a result, the likes of Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, 2024 second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk, and 2024 fourth-round pick Javon Baker would be fighting for at most two roster spots. A Diggs absence would allow the Patriots to temporarily retain another WR, although the team would surely prefer their new WR1 is ready for the start of the regular season.
Patriots WR Ja’Lynn Polk On Roster Bubble?
The Patriots are facing a roster crunch at wide receiver, and there’s a chance they may move on from a recent second-round pick as they resolve their depth. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes, Ja’Lynn Polk is among the players competing for a final spot in the receivers room.
Reiss believes that each of the team’s offseason acquisitions, a grouping that includes Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and rookie third-round pick Kyle Williams, are “viewed as safe,” and the writer also includes holdover DeMario Douglas in that grouping. Assuming the team will only hold six WRs, that leaves two more spots for at least four players.
In addition to Polk, the players fighting for a roster spot include Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, and 2024 fourth-round pick Javon Baker. Bourne brings the track record, and Boutte flashed some potential as a sophomore, but Polk’s recent draft pedigree may make him the most surprising inclusion on this list.
A former Washington standout, Polk was the 37th-overall pick in last year’s draft. Thanks in part to inconsistent QB play and an ever-evolving receivers room, the rookie struggled to carve out a role in 2024. Polk finished the campaign with 12 catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns, and he ranked seventh on the team in total targets.
The Patriots are expecting another leap from Drake Maye in 2025, and it would make some sense to pair the young signal-caller with a young, high-upside receiver. However, with additional depth and a new coaching staff in place, Polk might not have that opportunity in New England.
Sticking with Patriots receivers, Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston revealed that Diggs still hasn’t taken a physical with the organization as he continues to rehab his torn ACL (via The Rich Eisen Show on YouTube). As a result, the wide receiver also hasn’t received his signing bonus, which is dependent on the player passing the physical.