Talk of a Patriots–Stefon Diggs reunion took an awkward turn Thursday.
During a media session, New England’s top personnel executive Eliot Wolf said he would not dismiss the possibility of the star wideout returning. But his explanation for why the team moved on from Diggs — even after a 1,000-yard season — raised eyebrows.
Wolf cited multiple considerations behind the decision, including finances and what he described as “ability,” as quoted by Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. But Wolf also praised Diggs as a “warrior.” The veteran receiver had been the offense’s primary target and topped the club in catches (85) and receiving yardage (1,013) during New England’s Super Bowl LX campaign.
Diggs became the first Patriots receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019 to top the 1,000-yard mark.
An 11-year veteran who previously played for the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills, Diggs assumed the off-field roles of elder statesman and cheerleader for the mostly young Patriots team that won 14 regular-season games and fought its way to the Super Bowl in 2025, after winning only 16 games in total over the previous three seasons.
But with a three-year, $69 million contract, Diggs always looked like his days with the Patriots would be limited. They would save almost $17 million in salary cap space by releasing Diggs at the start of the new NFL business year. On Wednesday, that is exactly what they did.
Door May Be Open For Diggs Reunion in New England
On Thursday, however, Wolf said that there may still be room to bring Diggs back to the Patriots. He was asked by reporters if the door was closed on a Diggs return, and his answer was far from definitive.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve the team, so not gonna say that anything’s final at any position on the roster,” Wolf said, as quoted by the Boston sports media outlet NESN. “We wish Stefon the best. He was a tremendous player for us all season. I feel like wherever he goes next — if it’s elsewhere, if he comes back here — he’s gonna have a tremendous season.”
But will Wolf’s comment about Diggs’ “ability” throw up a roadblock to a Diggs return?
“Yeah, that ‘ability’ comment likely won’t sit well with Diggs, who was New England’s clear No. 1 receiver during its run to Super Bowl LX,” wrote NESN correspondent Dakota Randall. “After reading some of Wolf’s other remarks from the availability, Diggs might have no interest in re-signing with New England — if he ever had any in the first place.”
Have Patriots Used Money Saved by Cutting Diggs?
Diggs was clearly an important, probably indispensable factor in the Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl last season.
Diggs “caught a career-high 83.3 percent of his targets and posted a career-high 68.6 success rate (catches that moved the chains on third or fourth down, picked up at least 40 percent of yards on first down or picked up at least 60 percent of yards on second down) while emerging as Drake Maye’s go-to target in big moments,” according to Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston.
So, have the Patriots used the substantial cap savings from cutting Diggs to upgrade their wide receiver corps? On Wednesday, New England signed former Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs, who achieved a 54.1 percent success rate over his four years in Green Bay, catching 202 passes for 2,424 yards.
The Patriots handed Doubs a four-year contract worth an eye-opening $80 million. At age 25, Doubs is eight years younger than Diggs.
Patriots, Stefon Diggs Reunion Talk Just Got Awkward