Insider Thinks Odds Of Stefon Diggs Returning To Patriots Is Less Than 50 Percent
Stefon Diggs was the New England Patriots’ leading receiver with 1,013 receiving yards during the regular season, while recording team highs in targets (102) and receptions (85) as well.
The four-time Pro Bowler disappeared during parts of the playoffs though, finishing the postseason with just 14 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown.
The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi discussed Diggs’ chances of returning to the Patriots in the fall, with the latter putting the odds at less than 50 percent.
Giardi cited the financial impact of bringing back Diggs versus signing a different wide receiver like Indianapolis Colts deep threat Alec Pierce.
Diggs inked a three-year deal with New England last offseason but played this season on just a $2.9 million base salary with a cap hit of $8.7 million. That figure will skyrocket to $26.5 million for the 2026 campaign.
“I’m still not certain he’s on the team (next season),” Giardi said on the “Pats Interference Podcast.” “This might in fact in some way tie into Pierce. Just because, if you’re really going to go all in, like I said, that’s going to be expensive.”
“This negotiation’s going to be fascinating. I agree with you,” Callahan said. “It’s not a guarantee (that Diggs returns). I would put it as likely.”
“I’m leaning more towards the unlikely,” Giardi countered. “47 percent (Diggs) stays, 53 (percent) goes. Something like that. … Again, what did they see from him in the last four weeks in the postseason when it really got sticky? Am I really going to give that guy (that money), even if you re-work the guarantees?”
Following the Patriots’ Super Bowl LX loss, the former Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans pass-catcher spoke about possibly returning to New England, saying, “I anticipate being here, so I hope so,” and adding “I don’t control it though.”
“I don’t have a great feeling about that,” Giardi said. “I think if (the Patriots) were being smart, they’d look at his past history and say, ‘Yeah, year one always tends to be great. What happens in year two and year three and do we want to attach ourselves to that, at 32 (years old) going on 33 when you’re hoping and expecting to play in January again, when he just disappeared this January? And oh by the way, in Buffalo he disappeared in January too.'”
Diggs has averaged 5.9 receptions and 71.5 receiving yards across 161 career regular season games, but just 4.6 catches and 56.6 yards per contest during 18 playoff tilts.