"Coming off a Super Bowl appearance and with a relatively young core of stars, the Patriots are poised for a potentially exciting free agency period in 2026. More notable stars will be taking New England seriously as a free agent destination thanks to Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel, and the team's success in 2025."
"Diggs has a base salary of $20 million on the books for 2026, but only $1.7 million guaranteed. Cutting him would save the Patriots $16.8 million. While Diggs could easily be worth every bit of the $20 million he's set to make, his unique contract structure also makes him an appealing cut candidate if New England decides its ready to move on."
"The Patriots have a number of other decisions to make in their receiver room this season beyond Diggs. Any combination of Douglas, Hollins, and Boutte could potentially be cut or traded this offseason. It's highly unlikely that all three would be cut, and it's also possible that all three remain with New England in 2026."
The New England Patriots are positioned for an active 2026 free agency period following their Super Bowl appearance and young core of stars. Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel, and the team's 2025 success make New England an attractive destination for free agents. To afford marquee signings or build a complete free agent class, the Patriots must create cap space by potentially releasing current roster members. Stefon Diggs emerges as a primary cut candidate, offering $16.8 million in cap savings despite his $20 million base salary and strong connection with Maye. Additional receiver options like DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, and Kayshon Boutte represent other potential cost-cutting moves, though combinations rather than all three would likely be released.
#nfl-salary-cap-management #new-england-patriots-free-agency #roster-decisions #stefon-diggs-contract #2026-offseason-strategy
Read at Boston.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]