Patriots kickstart offseason by parting ways with playmaker who played a critical role in Super Bowl run after troubled offseason
The Patriots will be moving on from wide receiver Stefon Diggs after just one season with the team.
The New England Patriots are looking to revamp their offense around elite quarterback Drake Maye after a poor Super Bowl performance from that side of the ball. The team needs to continue to surround Maye with elite talent to fully capitalize on his ability to elevate the offense.
To clear up some room to add those impact playmakers, the Patriots parted ways with one of their key playmakers from this season for a fairly obvious reason. New England informed wide receiver Stefon Diggs they were releasing him on Wednesday afternoon.
Stefon Diggs no longer made sense for Patriots’ timeline
I believe it is fair to say Diggs exceeded expectations for his one year with the Patriots. The veteran provided some stability for Drake Maye and a reliable target, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards and becoming the first Patriots’ wide receiver to break 1,000 yards in a single season since Julian Edelman in 2019. Diggs was a mentor for several of the young wide receivers as well, providing a veteran presence on a roster desperate for leadership.
However, by the end of the season, it was abundantly clear that Diggs had lost a step and wasn’t moving the same athletically. With a $26.5 million cap hit approaching this season, Diggs simply wasn’t worth the immense cap hit with his play on the field. Additionally, Diggs was owed $6 million guaranteed if he was on the roster by March 13th.
Diggs has also been involved in several incidents off the field that diminish his appeal for the team and the culture Mike Vrabel is establishing. Diggs is facing strangulation and assault charges. He pleaded not guilty to those charges last month, and is set to return to court in April for a pre-trial hearing.
Simply put, his time with the Patriots had run its course, and it was time for both sides to move on. The move will clear up over $16 million in cap space for the Patriots, giving them plenty of wiggle room in their pursuit of a younger top-flight wide receiver in free agency.
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