New England Patriots
“That [post] sounded like, Hey, I’m open for business, right? Like — ‘Anybody want me?’ kind of thing.”
Stefon Diggs surpassed 1,000 receiving yards with the Patriots in 2025. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
May 11, 2026 | 6:42 PM
3 minutes to read
Just a few days after he was found not guilty of assaulting and strangling his former live-in chef in a pay dispute, ex-Patriots wideout Stefon Diggs took to Instagram to make his pitch for any interested NFL team this offseason.
“This is not an opinion-based sport, so here are the numbers. I played 52% of the snaps and finished with 85 catches for 1,045 yards coming off an ACL,” Diggs said on social media about his regular-season credentials in New England. “Where we going?”
Diggs’ comments drew several responses from former Patriots teammates, with Christian Gonzalez replying, “To the pats” in regards to the veteran wideout’s next destination.
Considering Diggs’ production during his lone season in New England, longtime Patriots reporter Phil Perry admitted on the “Patriots Talk” podcast that he’s surprised that Diggs hasn’t attracted plenty of suitors so far this offseason.
What’s interesting about the Diggs’ commentary is that it makes it sound as though he’s been waiting for calls. … That [post] sounded like, Hey, I’m open for business, right? Like — ‘Anybody want me?’ kind of thing,” Perry acknowledged. “And so that surprises me a little bit.”
Even though the Patriots opted to release Diggs in March in order to free up additional cap space moving forward, his status as an unsigned free agent at this stage of the NFL offseason calendar is worth noting.
New England might not have had much of an appetite to retain Diggs on his previous deal, given the guaranteed money that was coming his way had the Patriots not released him.
But when factoring in Diggs’ chemistry with Drake Maye, established production last season, and his standing as a veteran leader in New England’s locker room, could the Patriots potentially bring back Diggs on a cheaper contract if he can’t reel in more suitors?
Even with New England signing wideout Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million contract in March, Diggs could still thrive in Josh McDaniels’ system, especially if utilized in more of a short-yardage role — rather than his previous standing as the club’s unquestioned No. 1 wideout.
However, Perry pushed back against talk of a Diggs reunion in Foxborough, especially given the several reports linking the Patriots to a potential A.J. Brown blockbuster trade in early June.
“If they miss out on A.J Brown, I guess that’s a different topic, or it just gives it a new wrinkle that I’m not really considering right now,” Perry said. “With A.J. Brown anticipated to be in the fold, I don’t see Stefon Diggs coming back. I don’t really think this court case had anything to do with the Patriots releasing him.”
Despite the potential appeal of retaining Diggs on a more affordable deal, Perry stressed that Diggs might have maxed out his value as a one-year stopgap for a Patriots franchise that needed to rely heavily on veterans to orchestrate an impressive turnaround season in 2025.
Given Diggs’ age and the several distractions that sprouted up around the veteran in 2025, Perry believes that the Patriots are better suited to just move on — especially if New England manages to add a No. 1 receiver in Brown next month.
“There’s a lot going on here, right? And there was during his time here in New England. Not that it was overwhelming. And obviously, he had a great year. But it sort of started with the pink, unidentified substance on the boat while he was away from the team. And it ended essentially with this court case.
“I think that the move to part ways with him was more about money owed and age and a willingness and a desire to upgrade, which I think they think they have done with Romeo Dobbs. Before even adding A.J Brown, I think they think they’re better off at that position right now.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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