Drake Maye and the New England Patriots will need to find a new top wide receiver for the 2026 season.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs has been informed by the team that he’ll be released after the start of the new league year on March 11, NFL Media reported Wednesday. Diggs later confirmed the news in a social media post.
Diggs, 32, was set to receive a $6 million guaranteed roster bonus if he remained on the Patriots’ roster by March 13. New England will open up some cap space with the move, though. By releasing Diggs, the Patriots have created $16.8 million in cap space for the 2026 season, per Over The Cap.
In his lone season in New England, Diggs was quite productive. He had a team-leading 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. His productive campaign came a year after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear during his one season with the Houston Texans.
While Diggs had a strong regular season, his play took a dip in the playoffs as the Patriots reached Super Bowl LX. He logged 14 receptions for just 110 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ four postseason games.
Diggs also dealt with an off-field issue in his final months in New England. He was arrested in December and pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges in February after he allegedly strangled his personal chef.
All of that made Diggs a speculated cut candidate entering the offseason. He ranked sixth in our Greg Auman’s top 25 cut candidates story. Now, Diggs checks in at No. 26 in our top 100 free agents ranking.
Diggs has been named a Pro Bowler four times in his career and has recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in seven of the last eight seasons.
