Stefon

Diggs

The move won’t be official until the start of the new league year next week, but Diggs has already taken to social media to say his goodbyes to New England. Now the age-32 wideout will be looking for a new team once again. He is coming off his second one-and-done stint of the past two seasons, with the first being in Houston. Diggs averaged a solid 2.1 yards per route run in 2025, even including his quiet postseason stretch. On the other hand, the Pats refused to play him in a full-time role, which undoubtedly kept his efficiency marks afloat. Diggs still has something left in the tank, but he is well past his prime and is also embroiled in legal trouble. He is currently facing felony strangulation and suffocation charges. NFL teams may choose to wait until that situation resolves before signing him in free agency, which starts next week.

It’s a tortured way to put it — we like when beat writers actually stand by their sources — but it’s been clear from Graff’s point of view the past few days that a Stefon Diggs release should at least be on the radar. Diggs has a $26.5 million cap hit and barely cleared the 1000-yard hurdle with a 85/1013/4 regular season. He’s entering his age-33 season and caught just 14 passes for 110 yards in four playoff games, he’s also facing felony strangulation and suffocation charges. It’s easy to see why the Patriots would look at the Diggs contract as perhaps not worthwhile, but harder to understand where they would expect to get great production at the position without Diggs. The wideout free agent market is barren, and unless they’re prepared to pay a first-rounder for A.J. Brown, there’s not an easily identifiable trade for them either.

Diggs is facing felony strangulation and suffocation charges, along with misdemeanor assault and battery charges stemming from an incident that involved him and his personal chef. Diggs is next scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing on April 1st. Diggs’ attorney said he “categorically denies these allegations.” This is a situation that is likely to play out over the next several months, but we would expect the league to decide whether or not to hand down a fine and/or suspension once this is resolved.

It was a Super Bowl night to forget for Diggs, with the only silver lining being the same was true for every other Patriot. Officially in the mercenary stage of his career, 32-year-old Diggs signed a three-year deal with the Pats as he completed his recovery from a torn ACL. In reality playing on more of a one-year contract — Diggs can be cut loose with relatively little pain for the Pats — he was the No. 1 wideout in an offense where that didn’t mean as much as it might elsewhere. Diggs was just 71st in Pro Football Focus’ “route percentage,” with Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte both playing more snaps when healthy. Diggs did squeak by 1,000 yards, but he contributed only four touchdowns. He did manage a strong 2.42 yards per route run. Nevertheless, Diggs is getting up in age and becoming an increasing off-the-field distraction. It’s quite possible the Pats decide to make his Boston tenure one-and-done.

Facing a stout pass defense in snow conditions, Diggs’ numbers fell victim to both the weather and conservative game play. The veteran receiver’s biggest gain came on a forgettable six-yard reception in the first quarter and was later followed by a two-yard loss and then a three-yard reception. Diggs’ six targets led all Patriots pass-catchers, as he’s now seen five or more targets in all three playoff games. Now one win away from his first Super Bowl, we’ll see if Diggs can come up big for the Patriots in a few weeks to deliver a title back to New England.

Diggs’ score was his first of the postseason and just his second since November 9. Blanketed in the end zone, he made a tough catch then held on for dear life as he was ripped to the ground. Harassed all afternoon by physical coverage, Diggs helped move the chains just enough times as the Pats outlasted a turnover-destroyed Texans offense. Diggs now has another difficult defensive assignment for the AFC Championship Game in Patrick Surtain’s Broncos.

This was a quiet night for Diggs. He picked up nine yards with a crisp in-breaking route during the Patriots’ sixth drive, falling one yard short of the first-down marker. Two drives later, Diggs could have had a decent catch-and-run gain on a short crosser with Chargers defensive backs seemingly focused on the deep pass, but Chargers DL Teair Tart planted himself firmly in Diggs’ path, just after the veteran wide receiver cut inward. Tart’s fire hydrant impression effectively took Diggs out of the progression while the short-middle area of the field remained vacant. The Patriots face the winner of the Texans-Steelers game tomorrow night. The Steelers’ defense is far softer than the Texans’ elite unit.

The arraignment will now occur five days after Super Bowl LX, making it “virtually certain,” per Mike Florio, that the NFL will not place Diggs on the commissioner exempt list before the Super Bowl. Diggs is “the subject of a criminal complaint” that accuses him of “felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.” Nothing is guaranteed, but it appears as though Diggs will be available for the playoffs.

The Patriots’ starters played into the fourth quarter, but Drake Maye attempted only 18 passes, limiting compiling opportunities for his supporting cast. Healthy after a stretch of playing at less than 100 percent, Diggs enters the postseason as the Pats’ clear-cut No. 1 weapon. His off-the-field issues seem like they won’t encroach until after the season is over. The two-seed Patriots will host the seven-seed Chargers for the Wild Card Round.

Diggs is facing felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges. His arraignment is set for January 23rd. Barmore has an arraignment in February that stems from an alleged domestic incident in August. Things could change with both players as these stories develop, but the legal process is slow and the NFL may ultimately wait to step in until that process plays out. For now, both players appear to be available for NFL’s postseason.