Stefon Diggs' Patriots Status Still Unconfirmed

INDIANAPOLIS — The New England Patriots went out and got Stefon Diggs, post-ACL tear, on a three-year deal last offseason. One year removed, and it's not guaranteed that the star wideout will be back for 2026.

Two factors — his expensive cap hit of $26.5 million, and his off-the-field legal issues — have played a part into whether the Patriots' top pass catcher from a year ago will return. While Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf was open about how the team's feels about Diggs, he didn't comment further into the team's plans.

"We're monitoring those situations, and we'll just kind of see what comes of it," Wolf said at the NFL Combine. "I know we had a hearing last week or two weeks ago, but we're monitoring those situations, not only with our legal and security department, but also with Stef's people as well."

Diggs put together the best performance by a New England receiver in quite some time. In 21 total games, the veteran caught 99 balls for 1,123 yards and five touchdowns — instantly becoming one of Drake Maye's favorite targets in "got to have it" situations. His savvy route running on third and fourth downs helped get the Patriots out of several tricky situations during the year.

Jan 11, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) reacts after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Diggs' Legal Situation Plays A Role

But his legal situation comes to the forefront when discussing his role for next season. He plead not guilty to felony strangulation and other criminal charges that stemmed from an alleged physical dispute when his personal, live-in chef. The Patriots issued a statement at the time offering support for Diggs, and his legal team has denied the accusations.

On the football field, however, Wolf declined to speak on specific players' roster situations heading into free agency.

"I'm not going to get into any specific players today," he said. "There are certain conversations that we're having, and we'll see what happens with everyone."

Diggs is under contract for two more seasons, and the Patriots are in a position to retain his talents and his price tag. They hover around $40 million in cap space heading into free agency, and keeping Diggs on the roster would only make the team better in totality.

But with plenty of time ahead of the 2026 season, there will eventually be changes to the Patriots.

"I think everyone on the roster is aware that we still need some pieces," Wolf said, "and we're going to create as much competition as we possibly can."

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