Will Patriots keep Stefon Diggs in 2026? Resolution expected soon

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Will Patriots keep Stefon Diggs in 2026? Resolution expected soon

Mark Daniels, Karen Guregian · MassLive

Fri, Feb 27, 2026 ·

3 min read

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This is one part of MassLive's comprehensive "what we're hearing about the Patriots at the NFL Combine " story. The full report can be found here .

INDIANAPOLIS – What will the Patriots do about Stefon Diggs ?

We'll find out soon.

After leading the Patriots with 85 receptions and 1,013 receiving yards, Diggs has a $26.5 million cap hit this season. He also turns 33 next fall. The team frees up $16.8 million on the cap if they release Diggs. They save up to $20.8 million if they cut Diggs with a post-June 1 designation.

Multiple sources told MassLive that the Patriots are working toward a resolution and should have this situation resolved in the coming weeks. Diggs has $6 million in guarantees due on March 13.

The biggest question facing the Patriots is whether they will keep Diggs on his current deal if the receiver is unwilling to restructure.

Depending on who you ask, the answer varies.

One source said that if Diggs wants to remain in New England , he must restructure his contract to lower the cap hit. The Patriots are willing to give him an incentive-laden deal that allows the veteran to earn back the money – if he produces.

A second source predicted Diggs would be unwilling to restructure his contract after leading the Patriots in multiple receiving categories. The team has discussed how they could replace his production. That's a sticking point due to a poor receiver class in free agency and the Patriots holding the 31st pick in the first round.

The Patriots are also unsure if a soon-to-be 33-year-old Diggs would attain the same production in 2026.

The Patriots know they need to support Drake Maye , and downgrading his receiver corps doesn't do that. That's why a third source said the team was willing to keep Diggs on his current deal and swallow the cap hit.

Essentially, multiple scenarios are up in the air, but the Patriots are working toward a resolution.

This week, Mike Vrabel was asked about Diggs' future.

"Well, I mean, not only his future, but what he was able to do for us and come in and provide leadership," Vrabel said. "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. So, as we look to evaluate the football team, we're doing that constantly, Eliot [Wolf], myself, Ryan [Cowden], Stretch [John Streicher] and Eliot's staff.

"Just being a little bit behind of where we were with just how long the season went, where those conversations for each and every player are happening in the meetings in between the ones we have the draft players here. So, there's a lot of things that we'll do between now and the time that the football season starts. So, that's going to be the same with, I would say, most every player on our roster."

Diggs also faces a looming court date. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 1 after pleading not guilty to a felony charge of strangulation and a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery.

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