Why the Panthers Need Ex-Patriots WR Stefon Diggs After Stunning Release

Announced yesterday, the New England Patriots are planning to release their wide receiver no. 1 from 2025, Stefon Diggs.

This comes as a surprise because, despite the season ending with a blowout loss and Diggs not playing well, he was still their best weapon in the passing game and had over 1000 receiving yards on the season, and helped lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance.

Here it is from Stefon Diggs, saying goodbye pic.twitter.com/B9vghq4ha2
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2026

Now that Diggs is set to become a free agent, a new wide receiver target becomes available for the Carolina Panthers, and at this point in Digg’s career, it would make all the sense in the world.

Why It Makes Perfect Sense

The Panthers are in the market for a third wide receiver, especially since Xavier Legette hasn’t produced to first-round pick standards.

Diggs would be a perfect third option as far as where he is in the league today, coming off a 1000-yard season as a no. 1 option, but not one of the high-dollar receivers that cripple cap space for a franchise.

Signing Stefon Diggs makes sense on the field, a veteran receiver, next to two young ascending studs, in Jalen Coker and offensive rookie of the year Tetairoa McMillan. The young stars can learn from someone with deep playoff experience and who was one of the top receivers in football before.

Stefon Diggs dusted the Panthers secondary 💨💨 pic.twitter.com/JsQpwU25dQ
— Pats Buzz (@PatsBuzz) September 28, 2025

If the Panthers were to sign Diggs, it’d likely be on a short-term deal, with a middle-tier receiver-type market as far as his value goes. Another factor is that Diggs will turn 33 in November, which would give the Panthers even more reason not to sign him to a long, lucrative deal.

The Catch of Signing Stefon Diggs

There’s one catch, though, and it’s that Stefon Diggs tends to bring some off-the-field baggage, most recently with a felony strangulation charge that’s got Diggs ’ court appearance scheduled for April 1st.

Stefon Diggs has pleaded not guilty to assault allegations involving his former private chef, not even a week after his split from Cardi B and a heartbreaking Super Bowl loss.
pic.twitter.com/FnH6K33LJg
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) February 13, 2026

While charges like this are to be taken seriously and are a huge factor for any team that potentially signs Diggs, he’s still going to be signed at some point this offseason, especially coming off a season where he was a reliable WR1 for a Super Bowl team.

Final Thoughts

An older, experienced receiver next to one of the bright young stars of the game is a formula that has worked in the NFL before, like this past season, with Cooper Kupp signing with the Seattle Seahawks and being the reliable veteran next to Jaxon-Smith-Njigba.

If the Panthers can replicate that, with Tetairoa McMillan taking a leap in year two, the passing game could be one of the best in the NFL.