Why Did the Patriots Cut Stefon Diggs?

Diggs’ career probably peaked during his time in Buffalo; he was Josh Allen’s primary target during Allen’s breakout as a superstar. In four seasons with the Bills, Diggs recorded over 400 catches and 5,000 yards, including 2020, when he led the league in targets, receptions, and yards with 166, 127, and 1,535, respectively. 

After his time in Buffalo ended, Diggs was traded to the Texans, where he tore his ACL mid-season. For a receiver who, at the time, was in his early 30s, an injury like that could have been a career killer. 

As Diggs became a free agent, his slowly declining production and a bad injury made the market for him uncertain. Teams wanted a WR of Diggs’ caliber but didn’t want to pay top dollar for questionable production.

At the end of the day, the Patriots swooped in and signed Diggs to a three-year, $69 million deal. Despite the questions surrounding his injury, all Diggs did in his first season with New England was catch 85 passes for 1013 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the first Patriots receiver since Julian Edelman to reach quadruple digits. 

Diggs’s Eventual Release

Despite the success, the Patriots released Diggs after one season, mainly because of his large contract. The now 32-year-old receiver proved he could still be productive despite his age and injury history, but his contract was simply too high for New England to keep on the roster. 

Additionally, Diggs faced legal issues throughout the playoffs and into the week of Super Bowl LX after a former employee reported him. However, Diggs allegedly pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation charges and appears unlikely to face any consequences. 

It’s all a complicated situation that the Patriots probably want to avoid, so they cut Diggs while he still had value and wasn’t taking up too much of their cap. 

Could Be the Allegations, Could Be the Money

The team also signed Packers WR Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million contract to be a key weapon for Maye. Although Doubs isn’t solely a slot receiver, he did log over 100 snaps inside for Green Bay and could take on a larger role there in 2026-2027. 

The slot was where Diggs produced most of his stats, playing over 300 snaps there, so adding Doubs would probably move Diggs to the outside, where his lack of game-changing speed could limit him. And of course, the idea of Maye throwing to Eagles WR A.J. Brown lingers in many fans’ minds, dimming some of Diggs’s shine.  

Despite all these reasons, according to a Yahoo Sports article, the Patriots and General Manager Eliot Wolf remain open to Diggs returning on a more team-friendly deal.

So, the possibility of Diggs ending up in Patriots gear next season isn’t out of the question. Still, the receiver would probably have to accept a big pay cut and accept a lesser role on the roster if he wants to stay in New England long-term. Regardless, he will always be remembered as an important footnote in the most successful post-Brady team yet.