Patriots Urged To Cut Stefon Diggs To Sign Receiver Coming Off Career Year

The New England Patriots signed Stefon Diggs to a three-year deal last offseason, but his base salary and cap hit will be much higher in Year 2 of the deal.

After having just a $2.9 million base salary with a $8.7 million cap hit last season, Diggs will carry a $20.6 million base salary and $26.5 million cap hit next season. He will be guaranteed an extra $6 million if he is on the roster on March 13. The Patriots could create $16.8 million in cap space if they release Diggs before June 1, but given the guarantees that kick in on March 13, the Patriots should make a decision soon.

Releasing Diggs will create a hole in the receiver room. Diggs was a 1,000-yard receiver last season, but the Patriots may be better served paying big money to a better deep threat for Drake Maye. They have receivers like Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte who can work short and intermediate routes. NBC Sports Boston's Darren Hartwell urged the Patriots to sign Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts with the money they would have from releasing Diggs.

"And while the veteran wideout provides plenty of value in the slot, you could argue Maye would benefit more from a bona fide deep threat who can stretch the field while the likes of DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams work underneath," wrote Hartwell on Tuesday. "Free-agent receiver Alec Pierce certainly fits that deep threat mold, and if the 25-year-old can be signed in the ballpark of $20 million per year, that seems like a better investment than keeping a player whose arrow may be pointing down in 2026."

Pierce posted his first 1,000-yard season last season, despite Daniel Jones getting injured and Phillip Rivers filling in. He has led the league in Yards per reception in each of the last two seasons and has proven to be a consistent force downfield. 829 of his yards came before the catch.

Maye proved he has one of the best deep balls in the league, and pairing him with Pierce could be great. Pierce has 13 touchdowns in the last two seasons and 17 in his career.