On paper it looks like the team and their star wide receiver could part ways before free agency begins next month.
Stefon Diggs had a season that breathed new life into his career as a New England Patriot in 2025/2026. Then, in the blink of an eye, some questions are being raised.
Disregarding off-the-field stories about what is going on with the Patriots' wide receiver, there is a lot of evidence at play that could lead one to assume that Diggs and the Patriots are headed towards a disagreement over whether he will be with the team next season.
Diggs was asked after the 29-13 loss in Super Bowl LX about his future in New England. He told reporters, "I anticipate being here. I hope so," while acknowledging the decision is not entirely up to him. He noted his desire to stay, saying, "I love my guys."
If there ever was an emotional leader on the team this year, it was Diggs. The saying, "We all we got, we all need," spawned from his pregame rallying of his teammates. It felt like he had found his home in Foxborough, at least for the next three years, as that is what his contract is initially set up to be.
The flip side is that nobody really knew if Diggs was going to be that WR #1 for Drake Maye out there on the field. At times, he did feel that way as he cashed in on contractual bonuses with 85 receptions this past season for 1,013 yards. He was not in the end zone much, though. Diggs was tied for 60th in the league with only 4 touchdowns.
Diggs was a default WR1 due to his veteran status, but Maye had options on the field, making there never really a main target out there to throw to. Now, one must wonder whether he is worth keeping around long-term.
The other issue at stake here is that the Patriots' offseason cap space could use some cash flow to be freed up. Diggs contract is one to take a look at. The veteran wideout's 2026 contract is a cap hit worth $26.5 for the Patriots. The team has the flexibility to trade or release him to save them around $16.8 million against the cap, leaving $9.7 million in dead money.
However, the real issue here is whether the Patriots want to keep Diggs on the team but ask him for a pay cut. This argument was well described by Marc Bertrand of 98.5 The Sports Hub, who appeared on NBC Sports Boston this week.
"Well, they may not ask him out of New England, but they may ask out of that contract," Bertrand said. "I think the reality is they don't want to pay him that number."
The Patriots could ask Diggs to take a pay cut, as most veterans in the NFL are asked to do from time to time, but Diggs could have a rebuttal against the team about his leadership and the numbers he put up on the field. All of which is fair.
The Patriots have until March 13th to decide whether they want to trade Diggs. $6 million of his guaranteed $20.6 million in 2026 earnings becomes vested at that time, and if the Patriots want to save some big bucks, they'll have to make a tough call very soon.