Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said New England isn’t exploring a return for Stefon Diggs right now, though he wouldn’t close the door. Vrabel pointed to the current receiver room and the need to trim down from 12 wide receivers by the end of the preseason, with A
FOXBOROUGH — When Mike Vrabel spoke to reporters on Wednesday, the answer came with a kind of practiced restraint. The Patriots aren’t looking at Stefon Diggs as of now.
“Right now, I don’t think that’s something that we’re exploring but I would never say no,” Vrabel said.
He emphasized that New England feels good about where things stand inside the receiver room. Vrabel said the team is likely already at the number it needs. “We’re probably at the number that we need right now,” he said. “I wouldn’t say that anything is off the table.”
“We want to add anybody that could help us. ” he added. while also stressing the Patriots’ current comfort with both the roster count and the players they have. “I’m not going to give a percentage on it. but I think that we’re happy with where we’re at right now as far as the numbers and the people in the receiver room.”.
The receiver situation is crowded by design for the moment. The Patriots have 12 wide receivers on the roster. and that number will have to be trimmed significantly by the end of the preseason. Newcomers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs are expected to have big roles. Mack Hollins. Kayshon Boutte. DeMario Douglas. Kyle Williams. and Efton Chism III returned after contributing to last year’s Super Bowl run.
There are also un-drafted rookies on the roster competing for spots this summer. In a room like that, competition isn’t a slogan—it’s the engine. Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing said it’s how the group separates itself. “Competition is always great. I think it brings the best out of true competitors,” he said. “I’m really fortunate because I have a room full of good football players and really good men. They’re supporting each other, but also finding a way to keep that competition. That drives them.”.
At the same time, Diggs remains available. He is a free agent three months after the Patriots released him in March. Last season, Diggs led the team in catches, targets, receiving yards, and BIG plays—gains of 20 yards or more. He also helped the Patriots reach their first Super Bowl appearance since 2018. a run that ended when New England lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
Vrabel’s comments carried a clear note of respect for what Diggs meant during that run. “I appreciate Stefon as a person and as a player and what he did for us last year,” Vrabel said. “I’ll value that. He helped us win football games. He helped us get to where we got.”
But the coach returned to the present, saying the team isn’t actively chasing a reunion. “Right now, I don’t think that’s something that we’re exploring but I would never say no.”
The move to release Diggs also had real financial consequences. Diggs had a $10.5 million salary cap hit during his lone season with the Patriots. He had signed a three-year deal worth up to $69 million. but his cap hit was set to rise to $26.5 million in year two. That’s why the decision in March mattered beyond sentiment.
Diggs, for his part, has signaled that he’s still looking for what comes next. Recently, he told TMZ that he’s keeping an open mind as he searches for his next landing spot. “I don’t know, man,” Diggs said. “I’m open to everything. We’ll see.”
The Patriots aren’t saying Diggs is coming back. They are also refusing to pretend the idea is impossible. In a receiver room that already has 12 wideouts—and where the preseason will force cuts—Vrabel’s message reads less like a dismissal and more like timing: not right now. but never permanently closed.
Stefon Diggs Mike Vrabel New England Patriots receiver room A.J. Brown Romeo Doubs Mack Hollins Kayshon Boutte DeMario Douglas Kyle Williams Efton Chism III preseason cuts free agent