One season was all the Patriots needed to see from Stefon Diggs, but his departure wasn’t related to his 1,000-yard performance. It was purely about the massive financial flexibility it handed to head coach Mike Vrabel. Since Diggs had an additional $6 million set to become fully guaranteed, the Patriots decided to release Diggs at the start of the new league year on March 11. But that wasn’t the only financial aid coming Vrabel’s way; there is more to it.

As reported by Spotrac on X, “The release of WR Stefon Diggs leaves behind $9.7M of dead cap ($1.7M cash) to the #Patriots, clearing $16.8M of cap space. Diggs earned $21.5M for his 1 year in New England, and has now cashed over $157M across 11 seasons.”

Releasing Stefon gives the Patriots massive financial flexibility as they head into free agency. Before releasing Diggs, the team had about $40 million to spend on new players, but that number has now jumped to roughly $55 million. This extra cash allows them to look for a brand-new top receiver or perhaps a star defensive player to lead the team in the 2026 season.

As for Diggs, the decision wasn’t sudden as the team made sure to inform him about the business move. Although Diggs was a strong leader for the younger players in the locker room, his contract was originally structured to be expensive in its second and third years.

As for his average salary for 2025, he earned a total of 21.5 million, with his base salary set to rise from 2.9 million to 20.6 million in 2026. 

By moving on from Diggs, the Patriots have reportedly created one of the highest amounts of cap space for 2026, allowing the team to build around their star quarterback, Drake Maye.

As the Patriots look forward to making some key additions in free agency, Stefon’s release has already created much hype in the league about where he will play next. 

Stefon Diggs looks ahead to free agency after release from the Patriots

After turning 32 in November this past year, Stefon Diggs will certainly not receive a top-of-the-market contract offer and will look forward to the second wave of free agency. ESPN’s Matt Bowen ranked the former Patriots’ WR fifth among the NFL’s top available free agents as of Thursday morning.

According to Bowen, “reduced play speed keeps Diggs a little lower on our list, but he’s still a savvy route runner — with inside/outside alignment flex — who can create separation to the ball.”

For his part, Diggs became a key part of the Patriots’ 2025 roster with 1,013 yards and 4 touchdowns, and helped them reach Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks. The WR also collected a team-high 85 catches, giving the team their first 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019.

As per reports, the Ravens are considered a good fit for Stefon, given how the team is undergoing a massive transformation under new head coach Jesse Minter. Following the Ravens, the Chiefs, and the Chargers are next in line to become the WR’s next team.

The goal for him now is to prove to the league that he is still a top-tier player who is fully focused on winning. If he can show that football is still his main priority, plenty of teams will still see him as a massive asset.