Patriots Player Departure Stefon Diggs Cut.

Ring 6 · Mar 5, 2026

Triumph said:
Listen Maroney6, the Pats have OL problems and they are not going away. Your GM work will ruin the NE offense.

2026 defenses are bringing the heat after the Super Bowl debacle.

So you want to leave the ol alone and turn your best player into chad Pennington. Genius.
I fix the OL and let Maye rip.

bresna · Mar 5, 2026

borg said:
Called this on December 21.
Was universally lampooned.

B

Post in thread 'Diggs Effect On the Offense Has Been Significant'

Dec 21, 2025

Frankly, his future $20 million salary expenditures can be better spent.
Diggs stats are middling at best....... 5/52 per game, only 3 TDs on the year.
His last 3 games have been anemic (3/24 - no TDs), much like past Decembers on other teams

How much premium must the team pay for a decoy?

borg

I'm not defending him at all, but have you considered that he was playing through a broken finger? Stefon Diggs says he's been dealing with broken finger

Triumph · Mar 5, 2026

Ring 6 said:
So you want to leave the ol alone and turn your best player into chad Pennington. Genius.
I fix the OL and let Maye rip.

You have zero credibilty.

Cutting Hollins and keeping Gatorade and coffee fetcher Baker would have been idiotic.

Ring 6 · Mar 5, 2026

Sect140 said:
Again not saying he has to change the way he plays just improve a certain part of his game and a good way to do that is to have a really good slot receiver.

I’m sorry you seem to be implying we need to change the offense to a heavier focus on short to deep reads, focusing the pass offense on a slot receiver.
The best thing this team has is the qb with the best downfield arm in the league. We should be supporting that not moving away from it and creating a dunk and dunk offense.
Just to be clear, you were arguing for a short space slot receiver over a down the field weapon, correct? How would that not be changing the offense?

Ring 6 · Mar 5, 2026

Triumph said:
You have zero credibilty.

Cutting Hollins and keeping Gatorade and coffee fetcher Baker would have been idiotic.

You talk about credibility and in 2 posts in a row you have lied.

DaBruinz · Mar 5, 2026

ctpatsfan77 said:
Some teams, although IIRC the Patriots are not one, put clauses in their contracts allowing them to unilaterally convert salary into signing bonuses. But taking a pay cut obviously is different.

It used to be a part of the CBA that teams had to get approval from the players to do it. That clause was removed 2 negotiations ago. As of the last negotiation, only 2 teams were still putting it in. The Pats were one of those teams.. I don't know if that has changed with Belichick's departure.

DaBruinz · Mar 5, 2026

Family said:
Doesn't a restructure help the player because it is guaranteeing more money?

It doesn't make sense that a 33 year old WR would have a problem with more guaranteed money on a contract he signed last year.

You're forgetting the Tax Implication. If it's changed to a bonus, it get's taxed differently. Especially in places like CA and MA.

DaBruinz · Mar 5, 2026

KCSVEN said:
Definitely something you need to consider.
I think these tend to be more long-term issues than playing days issues. Brandin Cooks had probably 6 concussions and really just continued to play like he always did and after a run of them went years without having another one.

The main question is, will you be able to find a number one receiver as good as him and at an age that he can grow with Drake?
Especially since it only cost you money no draft capital or players

AJ Brown is older with a knee history and an attitude problem
DJ Moore is a nice number two, little older than Pierce and not as good player and will cost you draft capital and has a cat hit near 30 million
Yeah, you can draft a number one receiver late in the first during the second or get lucky later in the draft, but the odds are not great

Pierce does come with some risk, but not having a number one receiver for Drake May is probably a worse risk

Just a POI. Moore would not cost the team trading for him 28.5M against the cap. The team trading for him is only responsible for his salary, any remaining option bonuses, any remaining roster bonuses, and workout bonuses. The Signing Bonus Pro-ration stays with Chicago.

So, Moore would be 24.5M against the cap. With only this year (2026) having any guaranteed money.

Moore has been a #1 receiver. Both with Carolina and with Chicago. Something that Pierce is lacking.

Rob0729 · Mar 5, 2026

DaBruinz said:
Just a POI. Moore would not cost the team trading for him 28.5M against the cap. The team trading for him is only responsible for his salary, any remaining option bonuses, any remaining roster bonuses, and workout bonuses. The Signing Bonus Pro-ration stays with Chicago.

So, Moore would be 24.5M against the cap. With only this year (2026) having any guaranteed money.

Moore has been a #1 receiver. Both with Carolina and with Chicago. Something that Pierce is lacking.

The Pats can get both Moore and Pierce if they really wanted to. Both are or will be getting #2 WR money. People are freaking out about Pierce potentially getting $28 million a year, but that top tier #2 WR money not #1 WR. Both Tee Higgins and Jaylen Waddle are both getting slightly over $28 million a year. With Pickens and other players like Puka and Drake London still playing under their rookie contract and due new contracts soon or just getting off of it, $28 million a year is going to start to look very average.

I know it may not feasible to get both, but I don't think it is out of the question. There will be a lot of flexibility to redo Moore's contract to make it more cap friendly. It wouldn't be a Chase/Higgins thing since both those guys are getting top dollar for their specific rolls. Neither Moore nor Pierce would get close to that.

Family · Mar 5, 2026

DaBruinz said:
You're forgetting the Tax Implication. If it's changed to a bonus, it get's taxed differently. Especially in places like CA and MA.

I don't see how it would be except maybe you might have to pay the tax in the year it was guaranteed.

How would it be different?

PatsFanInVa · Mar 5, 2026

Ring 6 said:
He led the league in completion percentage and passer rating. His short pass in game is fine. He needs better blocking.

I don’t get how we don’t get that there are 2 parts to the collapsed plays that plagued us in the playoffs:
Part 1, pressure on Maye (line collapse)
Part 2, the decrement to the few remaining chances when Drake starts patting balls like he works in a Jupiter FL day spa (& other less than efficient habits). Another year together with coaching and work could yield as much for this team as any big name signing, and the big signings are useless without the improved line and qb decisiveness. But of course, the right answer is “both.”

neuronet · Mar 5, 2026

Hats off to a great leader. Was glad he was with us.

Watch him go to the Bills.

Huckleberry1 · Mar 5, 2026

If they are going to spend big on a WR it's better to do it on 26 year old Pierce than to give up high picks and big money for 30 year old receivers.

patsinthesnow · Mar 5, 2026

Releasing Diggs is the first step towards improving their offense. He averaged 53.5 YPG including the playoffs and was struggling to get open. He wasn't double teamed either. His performance vs. the Bills in week 3 helped them win the division & his leadership was needed in Vrabel's first year as HC.

The pats need more explosiveness on offense & should consider blowing up WR & TE. Nwosu on the seahawks said the pats only had Maye on offense and nothing else to worry about. Henry struggles to get open, can't block & probably runs close to a 4.8 now. I wouldn't be opposed to signing a more well rounded TE and drafting one in a deep draft class.

I won't be surprised if the pats go the 2007 offseason route. Trades (Welker, Moss) & signings (Stallworth) to completely overhaul WR/TE.

DaBruinz · Mar 5, 2026

Family said:
I don't see how it would be except maybe you might have to pay the tax in the year it was guaranteed.

How would it be different?

The "restructure" we're talking about is changing Salary to signing bonus. That moves it from "earned income" to "unearned income" and it's taxed at a higher rate.

While it's just an "accounting action" from the Salary Cap standpoint that allows teams to amortize the "signing bonus" over a period of time, it has definite tax implications.

Contrary to Rainmaker, the CBA removed the clause from the standard contract that players could refuse the "restructure". Two teams kept the clause in their contracts. One of the two was the Patriots under Belichick. However, I don't know if that is still the case.

@Miguel - Do you now if the Pats still have the clause in their contracts that allow players to refuse the conversion of Salary to Signing bonus? Or was that changed with Belichick leaving?

RobertWeathers · Mar 5, 2026

Huckleberry1 said:
If they are going to spend big on a WR it's better to do it on 26 year old Pierce than to give up high picks and big money for 30 year old receivers.

I want Pierce. If he is having this kind of production with the likes of Richardson, Flacco, Jones, and old man Rivers he should kick absolute ass with Drake.

ViperGTS · Mar 5, 2026

Bill Lee said:
This guy who calls himself Ian wrote an article that I think tells us a lot about how things will turn out:

Younger and cheaper doesn't seem to map onto spending $20M+ for a veteran WR.

Patriots Part Ways With Diggs Ahead of Free Agency, Adds a Key Need at WR | PatsFans.com

Releasing Stefon Diggs, the Patriots address financial and on-field concerns, creating a significant wide receiver need ahead of free agency.

www.patsfans.com

Yeah they ain't gonna be paying a WR 20 per year when they need to build up the line. They aren't stupid. Lines are what matters and they know that. If they don't they aren't as smart as I think they are.

DaBruinz · Mar 5, 2026

patsinthesnow said:
Releasing Diggs is the first step towards improving their offense. He averaged 53.5 YPG including the playoffs and was struggling to get open. He wasn't double teamed either. His performance vs. the Bills in week 3 helped them win the division & his leadership was needed in Vrabel's first year as HC.

The pats need more explosiveness on offense & should consider blowing up WR & TE. Nwosu on the seahawks said the pats only had Maye on offense and nothing else to worry about. Henry struggles to get open, can't block & probably runs close to a 4.8 now. I wouldn't be opposed to signing a more well rounded TE and drafting one in a deep draft class.

I won't be surprised if the pats go the 2007 offseason route. Trades (Welker, Moss) & signings (Stallworth) to completely overhaul WR/TE.

What good does having receivers as you mention if Maye is getting sacked in under 2 seconds because the LG/C combo isn't holding up??
The 2007 had an established O-line so they could add Moss and Welker and Stallworth. Not that it helped them win the SB, mind you.

Until you fix the O-line, what you have for WR/TE/RB won't matter much.

Sect140 · Mar 5, 2026

Ring 6 said:
I’m sorry you seem to be implying we need to change the offense to a heavier focus on short to deep reads, focusing the pass offense on a slot receiver.
The best thing this team has is the qb with the best downfield arm in the league. We should be supporting that not moving away from it and creating a dunk and dunk offense.
Just to be clear, you were arguing for a short space slot receiver over a down the field weapon, correct? How would that not be changing the offense?

So you really think every pass he throws should be 30 or more yards down the field. Once again just want to add another element to the offense, which will make Drake even a more complete QB.

Family · Mar 5, 2026

DaBruinz said:
The "restructure" we're talking about is changing Salary to signing bonus. That moves it from "earned income" to "unearned income" and it's taxed at a higher rate.

That doesn't matter. Describe how it does. Taxed at a higher rate how?

The one thing I'm not sure of is the player might pay a small amount more because you are taxed in the state the game is played in. Since MA has a higher tax rate than most, you could probably make that argument.

But if that's the issue it's a tiny amount. They could work around that.

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