On Wednesday, news came down that the Patriots would be releasing veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
In doing so, New England will save more than $20 million against the salary cap, as well as $6 million in guaranteed money they were scheduled to pay Diggs on March 13.
Diggs being released a week before the free agency window opens on Wednesday also gives the 32-year-old a headstart on finding his next contract, which will certainly be available to him after his resurgent 2025 season - going over 1,000 receiving yards and becoming the vocal leader of an offense that fell one win shy of a Lombardi Trophy.
But with the 2025 season being his first since tearing his ACL midway through his 2024 campaign with the Texans, along with his pending legal matter in Dedham District Court, there’s enough there to justify the release of Drake Maye’s best pass catcher ahead of the 2026 season.
Add in the fact that Diggs’ production dipped significantly over the last two months of the season - only one game over 6 catches after Week 11 against the Jets, to go along with 2 touchdowns in that 10-game span - and you can start to talk yourself into the leader of the “we all we got, we all we need” brigade needing to look elsewhere for employment for what will be his age 33 season this upcoming November.
With that being said, there’s a segment of both the fanbase and the media that wanted Diggs back next season. And if the former All-Pro is not going to be here, they better have a solid replacement plan in place.
Count WEEI’s Greg Hill as a part of that camp.
“My mind immediately goes to - OK, you better have an option lined up that you feel very confident in,” said Hill on Thursday’s edition of The Greg Hill Show. “Whether that is - I mean, I hope it's A.J. Brown, and that the relationship between Mike Vrabel and that player means that he's very interested, and you're willing to part with whatever you gotta part with in order to get him. Like, I hope it's that, and that we're not going to be disappointed with what the comp is when we've said goodbye to Steph Diggs. That's it.”
As Hill mentioned, there’s plenty of smoke around the idea of a trade that would send Brown from the Eagles to the Patriots. Some of that is the media taking Vrabel’s comments at the combine and running with them, and some of that is actually Brown openly flirting with the idea on a podcast with Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.
Another wide receiver the Patriots had been linked to by CBS Sports on the trade market in recent days was Bears wideout D.J. Moore. That dream came to an end on Thursday when the 28-year-old was traded to the Bills in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2026 draft.
Available in free agency are names like Alec Pierce, Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill - all of which carry either a hefty price tag or a healthy amount of risk.
Pierce officially became a free agent on Tuesday after the Colts opted to franchise tag quarterback Daniel Jones, but the price tag for the 25-year-old is reportedly going to eclipse $100 million. After leading the NFL in yards per reception each of the last two seasons, is that type of contract something the Patriots are willing to stomach for a player that has never caught more than 47 balls in a year?
Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill both might be heading to the Pro Football Hall of Fame once their playing careers come to a close, but are either worth the risk of a multi-year deal given their ages and injury history?
For the first time in his 12-year career, Evans finished with less than 1,000 receiving yards after only playing in eight games in 2025. His NFL record of 11 seasons in a row of 1,000-or-more receiving yards came to an end, leaving him in a tie with Jerry Rice. Decent company, for sure, but how much more production can be expected from the 6-foot-5 pass catcher during his age 33 season?
And while Hill has been a production machine over the course of his 10-year career, 2025 was cut short after he dislocated his knee in Week 4 against the Jets. For a player who has made his bones with elite speed, will he ever look the same after this injury? At 5-foot-10, he’s going to need to remain a speedster to remain in the league. Add in his constant off the field issues, and a strong case can be made to pass on Hill at pretty much any price.
Whether it’s a trade for Brown or a swing on one of these risky free agents, one thing is abundantly clear:
The Patriots officially need help at wide receiver.
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