Patriots could ‘explore options’ to upgrade from Diggs

Stefon Diggs’ future with the Patriots stands as certainly one of New England’s prime offseason storylines this spring.

Diggs had a profitable first season in New England, changing into the primary Patriots participant to file greater than 1,000 receiving yards in a single season since Julian Edelman in 2019.

He additionally has one other two years left on his present contract in New England and established himself as a leader in Mike Vrabel’s revamped locker room.   

However Diggs’ contract is probably going in want of a restructure, as he’s set to command a $26.5 million cap hit in 2026 — however with simply $1.7 million in assured wage.

An extra $6 million is assured if Diggs is on the roster come March 13, so New England might want to decide quickly in the event that they need to maintain the veteran wideout subsequent season, particularly if he’s not occupied with augmenting his present contract.

Add in Diggs’ age — he turns 33 in November — and his ongoing legal issues, and it’s removed from a assure that the wideout is again in Foxborough for the 2026 marketing campaign. 

Showing on WEEI’s “Jones & Keefe” Tuesday, longtime Patriots reporter Tom E. Curran was requested if he believes Diggs can be on New England’s roster subsequent season. 

“I feel they’re going to discover choices to determine if they’ll improve that place,” Curran said. “It’s a reasonably important quantity for him, each by way of bonuses and cap hit. So I assume what I’m saying, Keefe, is I’m going to punt on whether or not or not I feel he’s going to be again.

“I feel they’ll attempt to enhance it. If they’ll enhance it, they’ll enhance it. Higher, cheaper, youthful is what Vrabel said. And I feel that your X-receiver is a spot that you’d strive to do this. Would he need to come again on a smaller quantity? A special form of deal? Are they occupied with having him? I imply, his management on-field was wonderful.

“Past wonderful, and definitely past expectations for everybody, myself actually included in that. However I feel that they’re going to have a look at that as they’ll every little thing else. It’s laborious for me to say who’s going to be again and who isn’t, as a result of you must improve the place as an alternative of simply altering it out for the hell of it.”

If New England is trying to get youthful on the place, they may lower Diggs and signal a free agent out on the open market like Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs — or commerce for a star expertise like A.J. Brown.

But when the Patriots aren’t in a position so as to add an affect wideout this offseason, they may additionally simply retain Diggs and ideally rework his contract to decrease that cap hit. 

“Improve it in the event you can. For those who can’t, at the least you could have a man there,” Curran mentioned. “Now, they must determine on who’s spackle on the wall, and who’s a part of the wallboard. And I’d in all probability guess that Diggs is spackle. It’s good spackle, however is it spackle long-term? You don’t need to have spackle long-term. No person needs that.”

Talking after New England’s loss to Seattle in Tremendous Bowl LX, Diggs expressed a want to stick with the Patriots transferring ahead.

“[Expletive], except they choose out of the contract,” Diggs said. “I anticipate being right here. I hope so. Love my guys. Hell of a 12 months taking part in with them. We constructed some actual family-like bonds, so I hope so. I don’t management it.”

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author protecting the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Purple Sox for Boston.com, a job he has held since 2023.