The Patriots plan to release wide receiver Stefon Diggs after the start of the league year, a source confirmed to the Herald.

The move frees up $16.8 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com. On March 13, two days after the new league year begins, $6 million of Diggs’ $20.6 million salary was set to guarantee.

Diggs posted on social media with a heart, mentioning the Patriots, with the message, “THANK YOU for a hell of a year. We family forever.”

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The Patriots viewed Diggs, 32, as a declining player, due to his age, and there was a question within the organization of whether he could still be a No. 1 option in the offense.

The move leaves the Patriots with Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism, John Jiles and Jeremiah Webb at wide receiver.

Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract with the Patriots last offseason. He caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards with four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games with the Patriots while serving as a strong team leader. Diggs was also coming off a torn ACL suffered in October 2024.

Two options to replace Diggs on offense are Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown and Colts free agent Alec Pierce.

Brown is a potential trade candidate, though as of last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, the Eagles’ asking price was “unserious,” per a source.

Brown maintains a relationship with Patriots head coach A.J. Brown from their time together with the Titans. Brown, 28, caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards with seven touchdowns in 2025. It was his fourth straight 1,000-yard season and his sixth in seven NFL seasons.

The Eagles wide receiver has appeared unhappy with the Eagles’ run-heavy offense, which lacks an elite NFL passer in quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Pierce looks likely to hit free agency after the Colts elected to franchise quarterback Daniel Jones rather than the 1,000-yard receiver.

Pierce, 25, is coming off a career-high season in which he caught 47 passes for 1,003 yards with six touchdowns. It was Pierce’s second straight season averaging over 20 yards per catch.

The 2022 second-round pick has emerged as one of the best deep-threat receivers in the NFL and could pair well with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.