It's starting to sound like New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will have a revamped wide receiver room for the 2026 season.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Wednesday that Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs will be released after the start of the new league year on March 11. This news surprised plenty of fans since New England recently signed Diggs to a three-year, $63.5 million contract.
Although his best days are behind him, Diggs is still capable of making big-time plays in the passing game. He finished the 2025 regular season with 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns.
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The Patriots haven't released a statement on Diggs since this move hasn't been made official yet. Judging by their star quarterback's social media activity, he's pretty sad to see his No. 1 wide receiver go.
On Thursday morning, Maye posted a photo of him and Diggs on his Instagram Story.
Diggs, meanwhile, left this message on his Instagram account: "Thank you for a hell of a year. We family forever."
So why are the Patriots releasing Diggs?
It appears the main reason the Patriots have moved on from Diggs is because his release will free up $16.8 million in cap space. That money could be used in a trade for a disgruntled wide receiver, like A.J. Brown or D.J. Moore.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Patriots are expected to show interest in Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce during free agency.
"Per sources, the Patriots have been in on the big names on the WR free-agent market next week and are believed to be prepared to spend big," Schultz said. "Alec Pierce is among the names they’ve been eyeing. The trade market is also an option."
The legal negotiating window for free agents will open up on March 9. NFL fans should expect the Patriots to be aggressive.
