For the fourth time in four years, Stefon Diggs will have a new NFL home.
The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is set to be released by the New England Patriots when the new league year starts next week, according to multiple reports. With that move, Diggs is set to yet again return to the free-agent market with which he’s become so familiar.
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But where might his next stop be?
Diggs’ release was driven by financial considerations, per reports, with the Patriots avoiding an additional $6 million in his contract becoming guaranteed by the end of next week. Long known as one of the league’s most talented yet mercurial pass catchers, he worked his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2024 to become a key figure in the Patriots’ Super Bowl run, leading the team with 85 catches and 1,013 receiving yards. Even amid speculation that the team could part ways with Diggs, coach Mike Vrabel also lauded him for setting a high standard for the rest of the offense.
“Well, I mean, not only his future, but what he was able to do for us and come in and provide leadership,” Vrabel said at the NFL scouting combine last week when asked about evaluating Diggs’ place on the team moving forward. “He worked extremely hard in the time that he was rehabbing from the knee. I think he was just a really good presence each and every week.”
But Diggs also faces felony strangulation and misdemeanor charges related to an alleged incident with his personal chef. His next scheduled appearance for a pretrial hearing comes on April 1 – a full three weeks after the official start of free agency. The lack of clarity and potential for league discipline could complicate his standing with teams.
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Still, the 32-year-old could still emerge as an alluring option for teams looking to upgrade their aerial attacks.
Here are five possible landing spots for Diggs:
Diggs said prior to Super Bowl 60 that he was “close” to signing with the Broncos last offseason before deciding to link up with the Patriots. Could a second courtship be in order between the two sides?
The elevation of Davis Webb, Diggs’ former teammate with the Buffalo Bills, to offensive coordinator and play-caller might help Denver’s case. The wideout credited Webb with teaching him “a lot of the offense” in Buffalo. Diggs also spoke highly of Sean Payton and Bo Nix before concluding that Denver had “a good situation” and “a great organization.” For Diggs, landing with another leading Super Bowl contender with a clear need at his position would represent a nice bounce-back.
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The Broncos have plenty of reason to revisit a potential partnership, too. Courtland Sutton, who has been propping up the receiver room for some time, will turn 31 in the fall and lacks a suitable running mate on the perimeter. For Nix to put the offense over the top, another dynamic – or at least reliable – weapon might be required.
How compelling might a homecoming be for Diggs? The Gaithersburg, Maryland, native first rose to prominence as a five-star recruit at Good Counsel High School before staying at home to play collegiately for the Terrapins. Now, with Deebo Samuel widely expected to head elsewhere in free agency, the Commanders don’t have much in the way of receiving threats beyond Terry McLaurin.
General manager Adam Peters has shown a particular affinity for pursuing higher-priced, older veterans to capitalize on having Jayden Daniels on a rookie contract, so Diggs might be of more interest to him than some other decision-makers. Finding someone who can alleviate pressure on Daniels – and McLaurin – should be a top concern for Washington, and turning to a free agent rather than a rookie might be preferable for an organization looking to get things in order as quickly as possible. So long as he doesn’t eat up too much in terms of a cap space commitment, Diggs might allow the Commanders to patch up that one problem area while still leaving plenty of resources to be used on reconfiguring the woeful defense.
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Might Diggs be up to the task of boosting an immensely talented second-year quarterback yet again? One year after he played a critical role in the meteoric rise of Drake Maye, the receiver could be a major asset for Cam Ward. The No. 1 pick showed immense promise as a rookie but also struggled to compensate for a shortage of skill-position support. With leading wideout Calvin Ridley a cut candidate and top target Chig Okonkwo seemingly headed elsewhere in free agency, Tennessee looks to be in for a drastic – and necessary – remaking of its receiving corps.
With their $93.8 million in available cap space ranking second among all teams, according to Over the Cap, financial considerations for the Titans shouldn’t factor in too heavily. Diggs and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll have also spoken effusively about one another after their time together in Buffalo, with the receiver notching a career-high 127 catches and 1,535 receiving yards in 2020. It’s worth noting, however, that multiple reports have been linked to other free-agent receivers, including ex-New York Giant Wan’Dale Robinson.
In his time as Steelers GM, Omar Khan has exhibited a distinct penchant for pursuing big names with even bigger personalities, including Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey last offseason. Why not add one more volatile ingredient to the stew, then, as the team resists a rebuild? New coach Mike McCarthy has plenty of experience in keeping combustible situations from reaching a crisis point. And the Steelers have plenty of incentive to bring aboard a player who could help the passing attack get out of the checkdown mode that proved largely inescapable with Rodgers at the helm last fall.
First-year Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko were both with the Minnesota Vikings when Diggs made his star turn with the franchise at the beginning of his career. That might not exactly be a point in Diggs’ favor, given the way his acrimonious exit went down. Still, the two know the capabilities of the receiver, who could fill a glaring veteran void in the receiving corps after the midseason trade sending Jakobi Meyers to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Las Vegas has already invested in second-year targets Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornon Jr., so going with a more proven product might be the preferred way to upgrade the supporting cast for expected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stefon Diggs landing spots: Broncos, Commanders top list for WR
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