Still without a team weeks before training camp, former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs isn’t lacking confidence, making a bold claim about where he believes he still ranks among NFL receivers.
Diggs’ comments come as the four-time Pro Bowler remains one of the biggest names left on the free-agent market, with his self-assurance seemingly unaffected despite an unusually long wait for his next opportunity.
In a video posted last week to his YouTube channel, Diggs conceded he’s probably no longer a true No. 1 target. He drew a sharper line around everyone else at the position.
“My opinion, I can compete with anybody,” Diggs said. “But take those top wide receivers as your ones, right? You can’t name a No. 2 better than me,” as quoted by ESPN.
He figures roughly seven receivers in the league qualify as genuine No. 1 options. Everyone else, in his view, is a No. 2 he’d gladly line up against, salary included. Name the guy, name his contract, then ask if he’s really better, Diggs said.
Diggs carries four Pro Bowl nods, a first-team All-Pro selection, and a 2020 season in which he led the NFL in both catches and receiving yards. Seven of his last eight seasons have crossed the 1,000-yard mark, production that rarely lines up with a mid-July free-agency stall this deep into the offseason.
Stefon Diggs’ Patriots Release and Contract Fallout
New England moved on from Diggs at the start of the new league year in March, a decision the club framed as strictly financial. He had signed a three-year, $69 million contract the previous offseason, but its structure pushed the bulk of the money into future seasons, with an additional $6 million about to lock in guaranteed.
Diggs delivered on the field. He led New England with 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns, his seventh 1,000-yard season and a successful recovery from a knee injury that cut short his lone year with the Houston Texans. The Patriots rode that production to Super Bowl LX.
The front office replaced him fast, trading for A.J. Brown and signing Romeo Doubs to a four-year deal worth roughly $68 million. Doubs, nine years younger than Diggs, caught 55 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns in Green Bay last season, giving New England a cheaper, younger option behind Brown for years to come.
Diggs’ Legal Issues Since Leaving New England
Diggs also concluded his lone Patriots season by fighting felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault charges tied to a December pay dispute with his personal chef. A two-day trial in May ended with Diggs found not guilty on both counts.
The NFL closed its personal conduct policy review of the four-time Pro Bowler last month, citing insufficient evidence of a violation, clearing another obstacle as he searches for a new team weeks before training camps open.
A separate civil case still hangs over him. A former associate sued Diggs for defamation and civil conspiracy tied to a stolen Ferrari and an alleged assault at a Miami club, claiming Diggs’ brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, witnessed the confrontation and did nothing to stop it. Diggs has denied wrongdoing throughout and maintains he bears no responsibility for either case.
Two weeks out from training camps, Diggs remains unsigned entering his 12th season, and a fourth team in as many years now looks likely. He’s making sure whoever eventually passes on him hears his number first.
Still Unsigned Ex-Patriot Stefon Diggs Makes Bold Claim About NFL WRs