Should Patriots Re-Sign Stefon Diggs After Not Guilty Verdict originally appeared on NESN.
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The New England Patriots released Stefon Diggs earlier this offseason, but he was recently found not guilty of charges brought against him by his live-in personal chef.
The allegations against Diggs were not the reason he was released, but may have played a role. His large cap hit and the financials of his contract likely played the biggest role. He had a cap hit north of $26 million. Although he had a great season and led the team in receiving, the Patriots likely did not want to pay that much for a 32-year-old receiver.
However, it may be difficult for Diggs to find a lucrative deal this late into the offseason, and he may have to settle for a cheaper, shorter deal. Should the Patriots re-sign him if he is open to a more team-friendly deal?
Earlier this offseason, Eliot Wolf said he is not closing the door on Diggs, but there are a few key factors that would go into it. Firstly, Diggs would have to accept that he is going to have a much smaller role than last season. The Patriots signed Romeo Doubs to a four-year deal in the offseason, and the expectation is that they will land A.J. Brown in the coming weeks.
Diggs would be the third option, and second at best. He would have to be paid accordingly as well. The second factor that would come into play is whether Diggs even wants to return to New England. He has spoken highly of the team, and there seems to be no hard feelings between him and the team. However, he was just a 1,000-yard receiver and likely wants to go somewhere he can have a bigger role.
In reality, the Patriots are not likely to re-sign Diggs barring some kind of injury.
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